Accession to the Schengen area is a major priority for Romania and for that, it counts on Sweden's support as a mediator, now that it holds the six-month Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said Thursday as quoted by Agerpres.
During a press conference organized by the Swedish Embassy in Bucharest on the occasion of taking over the Presidency of the EU Council, the head of the Romanian diplomacy said that Romania is in "the most favorable position so far". "We are not starting from scratch, but building on everything we have achieved so far," he added.
Agerpres goes on to quote Swedish Ambassador Therese Hyden as saying that "the Schengen file will be on the agenda of an official meeting, when the conditions are favorable", namely when Austria changes its position regarding Romania, and the Netherlands changes its position regarding Bulgaria.
In the diplomat's words, it is too early to say when this process will end.
Minister Aurescu explained that currently there is dialogue with the Austrian side in order to create the "premises for a favorable context". "We must not generate hasty expectations," he said.
The Swedish position on the enlargement of Schengen was on the agenda of the foreign policy committee in the Bulgarian Parliament on Wednesday. Foreign Minister Nikolay Milkov told the MPs that Schengen is not among the apparent priorities of the Swedish Presidency but it does not mean that Sweden would not support Schengen enlargement.
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