Băsescu: We will not accept being discriminated in the matter of the accession to the Schengen space

The letter of the French and German ministers of Internal Affairs by which the European Commission requests the postponement of Romania"s accession to the Schengen area, represents "discrimination" against Romania, president Traian Băsescu said yesterday, in a press conference held at the Cotroceni Palace. The head of state said that the target of the letter represented a discrimination against Romanians, because the request to delay Romania"s accession was based on motives that did not depend on the acquis of the Schengen Area. "We will not accept discrimination from anybody", the head of state said, quoted by Mediafax. Băsescu stressed that Romania has honored all its technical commitments. The president said that Romania is entitled to defend its rights and that it should receive the same terms as other countries. The head of state said: "Following the decision of the COREPER we have submitted with the Parliament the documentation needed for the advisory opinion on the EU accession. The decision concerning the accession to the Schengen area will be made by the JAI Council. Beyond discrimination we get to exaggerations. The ministers (ed. note: the French and German ministers of Internal Affairs) tie Romania"s accession to the Schengen area to its management of the EU. The two are referring to the EU"s asylum policy as if it had anything to do with Romania"s accession to the Schengen area. It is a rather contrived argument, because they have no other".

Băsescu also mentioned that, nevertheless, the letter did feature some statements about Romania that were true.

"The letter does describe some of our realities, which we can"t challenge because I have spoken about them myself, and so have others. Basically speaking, they concern the functioning of the justice system and of the state"s institutions. We still have problems with the operating of the Supreme Council of the Magistrates", Băsescu said.

The president said that setting a precedent by violating one country"s accession treaty can lead to further abuse. "We need to have the same accession terms that all the other countries received", the president concluded.