About a month ago the German Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, made a statement which prompted a wave of worried comments in Bucharest, regarding Romaniaâs chances to join the EU in 2007.
Schroeder gave an exclusive interview to Jurnalul National, in spite of his busy schedule, campaigning for office in Germany, and detailed Romaniaâs true chances to join European Union on 1 January 2007
Jurnalul National: You had a strong relationship with the former Social Democrat PM, Adrian Nastase. What is your relationship now with the current PM, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, and with President Traian Basescu? Gerhard Schroeder: Shortly after taking office I invited them both to Berlin and had very meaningful talks with them. Thus we set the grounds for deepening the cooperation between our two countries.
JN: Is there a new assessment of the Federal Government regarding Romaniaâs chances to join the EU in 2007? You stated during a public meeting in Bielefeld that Romaniaâs and Bulgariaâs integration into Europe could be postponed to 2008. GS: Romaniaâs Accession Treaty states that the country will join the EU in 2007. I totally support this target. To that end, however, Romania has to make due its obligations regarding reforming state subsidies, competition, justice and home affairs. If those objectives will not be fulfilled, then accession may be postponed one year to give Romania the time needed to do it. This is a safeguard clause stated in the Accession Treaty.
JN: Could Romania be a more interesting economic partner to the Federal Republic of Germany as a non-EU member than as EU member state? GS: Uniting Europe brings security, democracy and prosperity to the whole European community. With expanding the borders of the EU we finally overcome the painful division of Europe performed after WWII. The newly member states and those that will acce
