The president on Wednesday said the European Commission’s report is objective and fair and highlights both progress the country has made to reform its judiciary and shortcomings.
Basescu said the Commission has set 18 objectives the country musty meet by next year’s assessment under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism. He said progress depends on state institutions implementing the Commission’s recommendations.
The head of state said it is not fair to tie Romania’s bid to join the border-free Schengen area to its progress under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism.
Romania was supposed to join the Schengen area this spring but its entry was delayed as some EU members, notably France and Germany, expressed their opposition and concerns about high levels of corruption at the EU’s eastern border. Romania’s entry was also put on hold because the report on Bulgaria at the time was not favorable.