French PM suggests 2-phased Schengen entry for Romania

Romania's Schengen accession could be done in two phases, with air border controls to be lifted first, visiting French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said on Thursday in his talks with Romanian President Traian Basescu. The Romanian head of state told the French premier at the beginning of the meeting that the Schengen accession is one of the "urgent" issues Romania has at this moment. "France has always been open as regards this issue and expressed several times its support," stressed Ayrault, adding that "Romania's Schengen accession could be done in two phases: the first should consist of lifting air border controls, of course, this decision will be taken under the best conditions." "The security and integrity of EU borders must definitely be strengthened, the EU external border must be protected, because we have to fight together against corruption and crime," stressed the French prime minister. Romania and Bulgaria were originally expected to join the Schengen Area in March 2011, but their accession was put off by key EU member states such as France and Germany. In September 2011, the Dutch and the Finns also blocked the bid to join the area by the two countries, demanding them to improve their work in fighting corruption and organized crime. A decision on the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen Area will not be made any sooner than this December. Ayrault began a two-day official visit to Bucharest on Thursday. The visit followed that paid by the Romanian prime minister to Paris in February.