Interior minister: Romania, closer to full Schengen membership

Romania is better positioned than last year to complete its full accession to the Schengen area, according to Romanian interior minister Cătălin Predoiu.

Following his participation in the informal JAI Council in Budapest, Predoiu expressed optimism about Romania's chances of achieving full Schengen membership, including land borders.

"We are better positioned than last year because we were a non-member state, and now we are a Schengen member state. Yes, it is true, only with two out of three borders, but we are still inside Schengen," said Predoiu, quoted by Agerpres.

He emphasized that there has been no precedent of a Schengen member state significantly delaying full integration after partial entry with one or two borders. When asked about the timeframe for full accession, Predoiu suggested a one-year period as a plausible expectation.

"There are no precedents for such delays. Romania is not the first state to enter Schengen in stages. Even Austria experienced a similar phased entry," he explained, highlighting that the process is irreversible once a state is partially integrated.

However, Predoiu also noted that the current political situation is more complex than last year, with upcoming European Commission formation and elections in various European states, including Romania. These factors contribute to the dynamic nature of the accession process.

"Political issues and positioning debates are ongoing in many countries. For example, the Netherlands recently held elections and is forming a new government, which will influence its stance on various dossiers. This context adds several variables to the accession process," Predoiu added.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea)