PM Ciuca: We will continue steps for accession to Schengen, we will analyze decoupling from Bulgaria

Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca, chairman of the National Liberal Party (PNL), announced on Friday that the steps for Romania's accession to Schengen will be continued and specified that the decoupling in this file from Bulgaria is a measure that must be analyzed."As we discussed with the president of Romania, as we discussed this morning with the president of the PSD (Social Democratic Party), we will continue all steps for accession to the Schengen area in order to fulfill our national objective. We have this unified political decision. We need to continue this step out of respect for the Romanians, out of respect for our European partners," said Ciuca, before the meeting of the National Political Bureau of the PNL."At this moment we are discussing with the European institutions and the Czech presidency in order to be able to identify what are the immediate solutions that can be taken and we are also discussing with the Swedish side because it is going to take over the presidency from the Czech Republic and to analyze the opportunity on the Council's agenda of the accession decision," Ciuca said.When asked about a decoupling from Bulgaria in this case, the prime minister specified that it is a "measure that we have to analyze"."It is an approach that each country must undertake individually," said Nicolae Ciuca.He claimed that in the meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council on Thursday, a decoupling from Bulgaria was discussed, but it was not approved by this country and Austria.   Romania deserves to enter Schengen and will enter this space of free movement, prime minister Nicolae Ciuca declared on Friday, once again criticizing the vote against our country's accession given in the JHA Council on Thursday."At yesterday's JHA Council, Europe was with Romania, but Austria was against Europe. Romania suffered a great injustice, and an injustice can never be definitive. We will correct it, and I know that's why we were and must remain united! Romania was and remains a fair and loyal European partner, a member of the European Union that meets all the criteria for joining the Schengen area. Only one state opposed it - Austria, which gave a strong blow to European solidarity and unity and created a European problem, which must be solved at the European level," said Ciuca, at the meeting of the Coordinating Committee of PNL District 3.He emphasized that all democratic parties in Romania and all European political families supported our country's accession to Schengen until the last moment."Our very clear and pertinent arguments were rejected in a totally unjustified way, due to internal political reasons. Romania deserves to enter the Schengen area and Romania will enter the Schengen area, but yesterday Romania was denied a fair treatment, a fair treatment, in accordance with European values. The Romanians have fulfilled all the assumed obligations, they have behaved exemplary and now they feel wronged, and rightfully so. A wronged people needs solutions!", the prime minister said.