Italy Wants Swift Romanian Entry into Schengen

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc (L) reviews the honor guard together with his visiting Italian counterpart Silvio Berlusconi (R) during a welcoming ceremony at Victoria Palace in Bucharest. Photo by EPA/BGNES

Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi, who is on an official trip to Bucharest, expressed his approval of Romania's efforts to fulfill the requirements for entering the Schengen Area.

"We wanted with our whole hearts Romania to be a EU member and now we're behind you so that you can become a 100% member," said Berlusconi after meeting his counterpart Emil Boc.

The Italian PM further emphasized that tensions between the two countries that arose in 2007 in connection with Roma of Romanian origin residing in Italy are now gone.

"At present there are some 1.3 M Romanian working in Italy. They are respected people, for they are hardworking and trustworthy," said Berlusconi.

Berlusconi and Boc also discussed the opportunities for intensifying the trade relations between their two countries.

Romania and Bulgaria were set to join Schengen by mid-2011. Their efforts were nonetheless opposed by some member states, such as France and Germany, that argue the two newcomers must make more progress in combating corruption and organized crime.

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