Secretary General of the Social Democratic Party (co-ruling PSD) Paul Stanescu said on Friday that the idea of European solidarity risks turning into „hypocrisy and double measure”, considering that the Netherlands keeps Romania in check regarding the accession to the Schengen Area, according to Agerpres.

„We cannot talk about European unity without Romania in Schengen. The idea of European solidarity, which is invoked these days including by the president of the European Commission, Ms. Ursula von der Leyen, and by other European officials, is beneficial. However, considering that the Netherlands keeps Romania in check regarding the accession to the Schengen Area, the idea of solidarity risks turning into hypocrisy and a double standard. I said last week that Romania deserves to enter the Schengen Area with dignity, without prostrating ourselves to the Netherlands, because it is not case. That’s why we have legitimate expectations that the European states will take all the necessary steps to ensure that the Netherlands does not make itself a laughing stock by blocking the freedom of movement of Romanians,” said Stanescu according to a press release sent to AGERPRES by the PSD.

„Every day that Romania is not in Schengen, the Netherlands undermines the idea of European solidarity. Romania has clear pro-European positions and is not allowed to enter Schengen, while other member countries have quite serious problems with the rule of law. Moreover, there are European states that are not in the European Union, but have access to freedom of movement. For Romania, at this moment, when it has made all the necessary technical and political efforts, it is a matter of national dignity,” Stanescu said.

„On the other hand, USR [Save Romania Union] should be ashamed to be in a European political family with parties that mock the dignity of Romanians. If they were patriots, they would make any significant political gesture that would show that they are in solidarity with the interests of Romania, not only with those of the Renew group, of which they are a part. Maybe they should even suspend their membership or leave the Renew group, in order to put pressure on those who treat us with arrogance and superficiality. We will continue to be in solidarity with the projects of the European Union, both regarding the energy crisis and in other aspects, but we expect to see this European solidarity at work in the relationship with the Netherlands,” he concluded.

Agerpres