The Financial Times on Tuesday cited a Brussels-based diplomat saying Romania and Bulgaria’s accession to Schengen could be a matter of years, not months, because of lack of trust in the two countries’ judicial institutions.
The Financial Times reported in its online edition Tuesday that Brussels-based diplomats said prospects for Romania and Bulgaria’s bid to join the Schengen passport-free travel zone were dimming as fellow EU governments pushed for improvements in their judicial systems and a renewed fight against corruption.
“Romania is truly ready to join Schengen in 2011. All experts have said that and all reports have confirmed it,” Igas told MEDIAFAX.
“This is a political decision but there is a general appreciation toward Romania’s efforts,’ he said.
Igas said he will attend Wednesday’s meeting of the Justice and Internal Affairs Council in Luxemburg, where he has scheduled talks with the Hungarian and Polish interior ministers.
Romanian President Traian Basescu told the Financial Times in an interview he is optimistic about Romania’s and Bulgaria’s chances to join the Schengen area by the end of this year, after a positive recent report on entry preparations by Bulgaria.
“We will see [by] the end of the year if our agreement, our accession treaty, is respected by everybody or not,” FT quoted the Romanian head of state as saying during a visit to London. “We hope no additional conditions will [be set].”