Romania will use all available tools after Canada breached its commitment on lifting the tourist visas for Romania and Bulgaria, Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos said on Friday.
“We have already completed negotiations with Canada and the moment they were completed, there was an agreement with Canada, and Canada also made a commitment on eliminating the tourist visas for Romania and Bulgaria, with the guarantee — if I recall well — that by the moment the deep and comprehensive and free trade treaty is ratified, this matter would be solved; and regretfully I find that we are not in the respective situation,” Ciolos answered a question during Eurosfat, a forum on European affairs.
The prime minister mentioned he exposed this matter to the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and with the European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom.
“I had a talk with President Juncker and with Commissioner Malmström, who is not directly responsible for the visa issue, because she is negotiating commercial treaties, but it was an understanding with Canada and, as prime minister of the government of a EU Member State, I consider that the European Union and the European Commission, representing the European Union, should be very firm in relation with Canada, so that our partners observe their commitments,” Ciolos stated.
The premier insisted that Romania would use all available to have this commitment observed.
“Romania and Bulgaria must also be treated by the European Commission as any other member state when it comes to supporting Romania’s interests, which should be the EU’s interests as well. So, yes, Romania and I, as Prime Minister will use all tools we have; hopefully it will not be necessary,” added Ciolos.
He assured that the Romanian authorities are having intense talks with Canada, with the Canadian Government to find solutions.
” (…) as long as the European Commission has already asserted that Romania is ready to join the Schengen Area technically, meaning the border protection, the matters linked to migration are technically under control, there shouldn’t be any arguments and any technical motivations to delay this decision in Canada, which is a political one. And I hope and I’d almost say I’m certain that we’ll find a solution and that we’ll find understanding in this matter which, once again, it is a commitment Canada has made years ago,” he said.
As for the U. S. visas, PM Ciolos said the situation is different.
“The free trade treaty is still under negotiation. Romania is making efforts to comply with the conditions for the Visa Waiver, so I hope there will progress in this respect. But I know that regarding the Canada issue (…) this is our government’s stance. I know the Romanian members of the European Parliament are also very active from this point of view and we’ll remain very active till the end, because it’s about a right we have as a EU Member State, we are not asking for aby favour,” Dacian Ciolos emphasized.