Germany, sceptical towards the accession of Romania in Schengen
The German Minister of Interior is skeptical about the Bulgaria and Romania's accession to the Schengen area this year, even partially, only with air and sea space.
Articol de Ovidiu Suciu, Berlin, 05 August 2012, 10:42
Romania’s hopes to join the Schengen area this year are increasingly fragile.
In German press, the Minister of Interior, Hans-Peter Friedrich, rejected the receipt of Romania and Bulgaria in the European area of free movement.
“At this time, I exclude the possibility of opening up borders for Romania and Bulgaria”, said the German Minister for "Rheinische Post" daily.
Hans-Peter Friedrich insisted, however, for keeping the solution proposed by Germany and France, according to which the Schengen membership of the two eastern countries would take place in two stages.
First it will relinquish controls at airports and naval ports, as shown in the second part to give up at the land borders.
The first phase was to be decided at an European Summit in September.
Now, however, the German Interior Minister was skeptical also on the implementation of this year of the first phase of the plan.
In the vision of German controllers, Bucharest and Sofia would still not be sufficient prepared for the travellers without control-ready identity documents in the European area of free movement.
Translated by Anamaria Petrache
MTTLC, Bucharest University
