Ciuca: Final EPP Congress document to request Romania's Schengen membership with land border too

Liberal president Nicolae Ciuca declared on Tuesday that the final document of the European People's Party Congress will request that Romania should become a member with full rights, with road borders, in the Schengen area.   “I want to point out that it is not just a friendly statement, but it will be included in the final document of the Congress, requesting that Romania should become a member with full rights, including the road border of the Schengen area,”said Ciuca at a joint press conference with EPP president Manfred Weber.   According to Ciuca, Romania has technically fulfilled conditions years ago and continues to do so for full Schengen accession.   “Moreover, there are measures with which we do nothing else but strengthen the Schengen area with every connected to the safety of Romanian borders and the safety of EU borders. As a result, I do not think we are talking about compromises, but it is a reality about which we have discusses all the time: we are members of a center-right political family promoting everything connected to freedom, the freedom of movement for Romanians who leave or return to Romnaia, Ciuca said mentioning there are 4 million Romanians working abroad and who have a serious contribution to the GDP of countries where they carry out their activity.   Nicolae Ciuca also said that Romanians whould get this right to be able to come home without queuing at border cross points.   “Based on talks with European leaders present herem we will have a decision in the final document of the Congress and we will see how Austrian colleagues will vote. We will come with arguments to make them change their decision. It is true that at the moment we do not have a bilateral meeting established yet, but we will do everyhting to convey our messages for what is our right to be members of the Schengen area,”said Ciuca.   The EPP Congress is held in Bucharest on Wednesday and Thursday.