Foreign Minister Luminica Odobescu said that Romania is a member of the Schengen area, showing that there is still a stage, but it is an important step in the process of full accession. Interior Minister Catalin Predoiu said, for his part, that Romania is a member state of the Schengen Agreement based on the decision of the Council of the EU, noting that this is a victory for Romania, primarily a political victory.

Luminica Odobescu said Thursday night on Antena 3 that joining the Schengen area with the air and sea area was a team effort, News.ro reported.

“I say that we are in Schengen, because if we look at the text of the decision published today, it refers to the full application of the Schengen acquis. We still have a stage to go, but this is an important step in the process of full accession to Schengen, a step for which diplomatic efforts have been made in close coordination with the Home Office and colleagues. It was a team effort under the close coordination of the President of Romania, the Prime Minister. I worked until almost the last day. Our efforts have been intense, especially recently, but I think we can happily say that we have passed the milestone. Indeed, we still have a lot to work on, but this is an important stage, because when we get there, the process will continue,” said Luminica Odobescu.

For his part, Katelin Predou confirmed that this accession with air and sea borders is a victory for Romania, primarily a political one.

“Without a doubt, we are a member state of the Schengen Agreement based on this decision of the Council. I believe that this is the main advantage, that we have received the status of a Schengen country, a member of the club, if you like, which makes it easier to continue working on the discussed item, which better profiles Romania among the member states of the European Union, which strengthens our influence at the level of the councils, in which we work, each in its own sphere of competence, the Council of Foreign Affairs and the Council of Internal Affairs, which puts us in a position to better protect the interests of our country not only in the Schengen file, but also in others. This is a victory for Romania, a political victory, above all, apart from the advantages and technical effects, which in a very simple translation means the abolition of air and sea border controls and the transformation of air traffic, respectively, sea transport within the borders of the Schengen member states, as travel within the country. Apart from these technical advantages and positioning for the continuation of the file, it also means a very important political emphasis among the member states”, said Katalin Predoyu.

Luminica Odobescu was also asked what efforts Romania still needs to make to fully join Schengen.

“This is the second step to complete the process of full accession to Schengen and, in fact, we will continue our diplomatic efforts together throughout this year to achieve this goal. As we have done in recent months, we will continue to cooperate closely and at the political level, obviously, dialogue primarily with Austria and with the support of the European Commission and other states. We hope that this year we will also be able to achieve this goal,” explained the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

When asked if she was optimistic about Romania joining Schengen with land borders this year, Luminica Odobescu said: “That is our goal. (…) I think that if we continue to make a team effort, so to speak, and closely coordinate with the European Commission, with other member states, we will succeed. Looking back a few months ago, we didn’t have a very high chance of making this move. (…) In a coordinated effort, as I said, on various channels, on the channel of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, on the channel of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on political channels at the highest level, at the level of Mr. President, Mr. Prime Minister, with the support of others member states, with the support of the European Commission, in addition, we worked in close cooperation, including for the preparation of this decision with our partners in the European Commission, with the Romanian members of the European Parliament. and not only with Romanian MEPs. That’s why I say it’s a team effort.”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs also stated that starting from March 31, Romania will issue short-term Schengen visas.

“What I want to emphasize, perhaps another element that is of direct interest to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is that from March 31 we will also provide short-term Schengen visas. When we were going for this goal, practically Austria for the first time gave consent only to the air borders. In the meantime, we have also agreed on maritime borders and practically on the issuance by Romania of short-term Schengen visas from March 31, and we have successfully passed the evaluation process to be able to issue these Schengen visas,” Luminica Odobescu also stated.