Romania Reiterates Demand for EU Xenophobia Debate

Prime Minister of Romania Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu (L) is welcomed by President of the European Council, Belgian, Herman Van Rompuy prior to a meeting at EU council headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, 15 March 2012. EPA/BGNES

Romanian Prime Minister Mihai Razvan Ungureanu has demanded a high-level debate among EU leaders on what he believes is a surge of xenophobia and anti-European attitudes in the bloc.

"There is concern regarding the way EU policies can be questioned in the national executives and parliaments by the political expression of xenophobia, anti-democratic and anti-European attitudes," Ungureanu said at the end of talks with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, as cited by EurActive.

Before heading to Brussels, the Romanian PM called for an extraordinary meeting with EU leaders on protecting pro-European policies.

According to Ungureanu, the Dutch decision to block Romania and Bulgaria's Schengen entry is due to the Dutch government's dependence on the far-right Freedom Party (PVV) of Geert Wilders.

"I cannot shut up when it comes to such an important issue," Ungureanu said. "It is a sensitive problem, we are prepared to enter Schengen and we now need a political dialogue between the Romanian government and its EU counterparts".

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has once again refused to condemn PVV's xenophobic website that triggered much criticism over the recent weeks.

The site, titled "Complaints about Central and Eastern Europeans," boasts slogans such as "Do you have problems with people from Central and Eastern Europe?" and "Have you lost your job because of a Pole, a Bulgarian, a Romanian? We want to know." It also displays media headlines reporting how Eastern Europeans commit more and more crime.

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