Talks on Romania's full Schengen accession are making progress, Foreign Affairs Minister Luminita Odobescu told a press conference on Monday, stating that she is "optimistic" about the outcomes."An official decision regarding the final, full entry to the Schengen Area must go through a series of mandatory institutional steps. We are optimistic, but we are still working in this direction and I can say that the outlooks are positive due to Romania's readiness not only in what concerns the fulfillment of the accession criteria, something that is already known, but also thanks to what we did in terms of protecting the EU's external borders, to the permanent and constant dialogue we had with the other states, and to our contribution to ensuring the security of the external borders," the Romanian top diplomat said.Odobescu said that "the last months' results in considerably reducing and, in particular cases, even in eliminating illegal migration in the region are also due to the considerable efforts put in by Romania together with its external partners."The foreign minister said that at his meeting on November 22 in Budapest with his Bulgarian and Austrian counterparts, the Romanian minister of the interior will discuss the exact Schengen accession calendar and the technical details."It's encouraging that the new European Commissioner for Migration has set himself as a goal for his term the completion of this process," Odobescu pointed out.Regarding Romania's inclusion in the Visa Waiver program, the foreign minister said that there is "significant progress"."We are optimistic, the signals are positive, but there are still a number of procedural steps. This month we will receive an assessment mission of the American authorities, after which the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security and the American Congress must go through a series of internal procedures, which we hope will be completed in a reasonable time, so that next year the Romanian citizens can enjoy Romania's full Visa Waiver status," detailed Odobescu. (Photo: www.mae.ro)
Travelers planning to take advantage of Romania’s inclusion in the Visa Waiver program will have to pay around EUR 250 for a one-way plane ticket to the United States. Romania was formally designated the 43rd country to join the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP) on Friday, January 10. As a result, Romanians will...
Prime minister Marcel Ciolacu, the leader of the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD), announced plans to initiate a legislative project for Romania's administrative and territorial reorganization during the parliamentary session set to begin in February. Speaking at the PSD headquarters on Monday, January 13, Ciolacu revealed that a dedicated working group has been established to […]
The Romanian Cultural Institute (ICR) is organizing through its branches abroad a series of events "celebrating prominent figures of Romanian arts and culture" to mark the National Day of Culture, celebrated every year in Romania and the Republic of Moldova on January 15. It coincides with the birth date of the national poet Mihai Eminescu […]
Former liberal leader Crin Antonescu (picture, right), the candidate announced by the coalition formed by the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party, and Hungarian minority party UDMR for the presidential elections, stated that far-right politician Călin Georgescu (picture, left) should be able to run in the upcoming elections. According to the schedule agreed by the […]
The Bucharest Authority for Animal Surveillance and Protection (ASPA) has announced the restart of its free sterilization campaign for common-breed dogs and cats. Starting in January 2025, residents of the capital city can benefit from this initiative aimed at promoting responsible pet ownership and controlling the pet population. For common-breed dogs with owners, sterilizations will […]
Jaqueline Cristian is the first Romanian player to qualify for the second round of the 2025 Australian Open. She claimed a hard-fought victory against Croatia's Petra Martic in the first round on January 13, winning in three sets 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (10/7). Monday's match lasted two hours and 35 minutes, according to
