FT: Romanian President Optimistic About 2011 Schengen Entry

Basescu said he was optimistic on the chances of joining the border-free Schengen zone this year after a positive recent report on entry preparations by Bulgaria. The two countries joined the EU together in 2007, with a prospective date of 2011 for Schengen entry.

"We will see [by] the end of the year if our agreement, our accession treaty, is respected by everybody or not," FT quoted the Romanian head of state as saying during a visit to London. "We hope no additional conditions will [be set]."

EU diplomats in Brussels, however, warn that several large member states are tying Schengen membership to wider judicial reforms, rather than simply border management. Several countries complained after Romania and Bulgaria's EU entry that the two states had not done enough on reforming their legal systems and tackling corruption.

Brussels-based diplomats cited by FT said it may be years, not months, before Romania and Bulgaria can join the Schengen area, mainly because of lack of trust in the two countries' judicial institutions.

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