Romania knew about the diplomatic endeavors of France and of its intention to boycott Romania’s adhesion to Schengen and attempted to warn its European partners through the statements made by President Basescu at the European Council, diplomatic sources declared on Friday. read more...

Romania and Bulgaria will not join Schengen at the end of March, as their leaders were hoping because the Bulgarian evaluation report on the security of Bulgarian borders is negative, several European diplomats declared on Friday at Brussels. read more...

The technical reality is Romania’s best ally in the Schengen accession issue but the political reality isn’t, EU Commissioner Dacian Ciolos told Mediafax Friday, adding Romania is fighting for its position with dignity. read more...

Hungary is firmly committed to accepting Romania and Bulgaria in the Schengen area, European Voice quotes Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban as saying on Thursday morning in Budapest. read more...

Senate Vice-President Teodor Melescanu, of the opposition National Liberal Party, told on Thursday that the Hungarian Interior Minister Sandor Pinter’s statements should be seen as his point of view and not as a decision on the postponement of Romania’s accessing the Schengen area. read more...

Titus Corlatean, chairman of the commission on foreign affairs in the Senate, said on Thursday that the Hungarian officials’ statements reveal a nuance which might raise the awareness of the authorities in Bucharest, namely, that Romania’s joining the Schengen area is no longer a priority for the Hungarian Presidency of the European Union, they preferring to work upon a “roadmap meeting some deadlines.” read more...

The final decision on the expansion of the Schengen Area belongs to the member states and the European Commission (EC) has only a role of observer in this process, a spokesman for the European Union’s executive body declared on Thursday. read more...

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Thursday evening on public television that the problem is not the postponement of Romania’s and Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen Area, but the fact that some states abuse their veto rights to block their accession. read more...

There is no reason to postpone Romania’s adhesion to Schengen, Romanian Foreign Affairs Minister Teodor Baconschi declared. He said that currently, the Hungarian Presidency of the EU supports the expansion of Schengen. read more...

Romania’s Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi said Thursday he sees no reasons why he should resign considering the ministry has done its homework for Schengen accession. read more...

Romania and Bulgaria’s adhesion to Schengen was postponed, Hungarian Interior minister Sandor Pinter declared, quoted by the German news agency DPA. read more...

Romania’s Foreign Affairs Minister Teodor Baconschi declared on Wednesday that Romania will support Croatia to join the EU, underlying that recent speculations in the mass media are just temptations for sensational news. read more...

Romanian President Traian Basescu on Wednesday called on the Government to “fight until the end” so the country will join the Schengen Area in April-May 2011, but stressed that Romania can not denounce the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism or thwart Croatia’s EU accession. read more...

Romania’s President Traian Basescu said Wednesday he takes political responsibility for the delay of the country’s accession to the border-free Schengen Area. read more...

Both Romania an Bulgaria need to continue their efforts to be prepared to join Schengen in March 2011 but Bulgaria will surely comply to all requirements and will be ready to join in March 2011, Bulgarian Foreign Affairs minister Nikolay Mladenov declared in an interview for Standart News. read more...

Romania cannot, unilaterally, give up the monitoring mechanism on Justice on the contrary, the decision rests in the hands of the Commission, EC Spokesperson Mark Gray declared for RFI. These statements follow Romania’s Foreign Affairs minister who warned that Romania might unilaterally give up the mechanismif it is used as a pressure in other sectors. read more...

Hungary took over on Saturday the presidency of the EU and the event was marked by Hungarian PM Viktor Orban's declarations, that these are good news for Europe, AFP informs. Hungary was recently criticized for the promulgation of a law that raises the issue of press freedom in Budapest. read more...

French European Affairs minister Laurent Wauquiez explained in an interview for French daily Le Figaro what are the French requirements for Romania and Bulgaria to join Schengen. The official considers that the two countries should join only if there are solid conditions complied with. read more...

Bulgaria declares clearly its purpose to join Schengen in March 2011 even though France and Germany decided to block the access of the two countries. Bulgarian Interior minister Tvetan Tvetanov declared that what today's newspapers read do not change Bulgaria's preparations for Schengen, Novinite reads. read more...

The letter of the French and German Interior ministers, officially urging the Commission to reject Romania and Bulgaria's joining Schengen in March 2011 clearly set the general expectations we should have. read more...