Romania's obstacles to Schengen are a legitimate decision, FT says

Romania’s obstacles to Schengen are a legitimate decision, FT says

Newsroom 01/02/2011 | 14:15

Even though they may claim with some justification that they are treated as second-class members of the European Union, Romania and Bulgaria “have been anything but swift in cleaning up their acts,” says the Financial Times in an article called Roadblocks On The Way To Schengen, which analyzes the reasons for which the two countries were denied Schengen accession.

“In Romania, even the will to reform seems to have stalled,” says FT, adding that the Germand and French opposition to Romania’s accession into Schengen is “legitimate,” even though it is not totally made “in good faith” since they were motivated by electoral concerns.

“It was clear that they entered the EU under a cloud; other members are entitled to retain the one big stick left to wield. The rashness of admitting the two countries to the EU unreformed must not be compounded by discarding the best reform incentive,” says Financial Times.