The 16th of May is a benchmark point in Romania 's EU Accession preparation process, due to the Report which has been presented today by the European Commission in the European Parliament.
It is the best evaluation which Romania has ever had from the European Commission. This is further more eloquent as, because of the delays accumulated until 2005, we have been submitted to an extremely strict and rigorous monitoring from the European partners. There has been a much stricter monitoring than the one of the 10 countries that joined the EU on the 1st of May 2004.
I consider that in the report, the Commission has presented a correct and objective evaluation which has underlined all the achievements of Romania as of October 2005 Report and it has also underlined the things which have to be achieved until the end of this year.
The analysis which I have made allows me to tell that today, the Commission conveys two fundamental messages about the stage of our integration process.
The first message is that Romania's EU Accession on the 1st of January 2007 is fully achievable. The second message is that Romania has achieved major progress over the latest seven months in the taking over of the European standards and criteria and we have to continue in the same pace and on the same direction in order to solve the other problems too. The safeguard clauses on corruption and borders' security have been avoided. You know very well that these emerged in the October 2005 Monitoring Report.
I will further on refer in detail to these aspects.
I point out that the Report explicitly stipulates the date of the 1st of January 2007 as date on which Romania can join the European Union. The 2008 alternative is not taken into consideration in any way.
The Commission requests us to concentrate on some priority issues in order to join on the 1st of January 2007 .
Firstly, we have to continue the reforms' implementation in justice and the fight against corruption, consolidating the achievements, the progress achieved so far. We also have four technical issues to solve, to which I will refer in detail.
The fact that only four of the 14 red flags which existed on different fields in the October 2005 Report, remained is a proof of the progress which has been achieved. It is very important that we do not have anymore flags on the two fields which were related to the safeguard clauses whose triggering could lead to the delay of accession: the fight against corruption and the borders' security. The efforts will have to continue, but the Commission does not have anymore serious concerns on these two fields as it has had so far.
The four problems marked with red flags have an extremely technical character.
I can assure you that the measures which we have been taken and fulfilled so far allow us to solve in time, until the end of the year.
These problems are not system problems, they are not related to the lack of a political will, but they are to be solved.
I would like to refer to the Agriculture Payments and Interventions Agencies. I heard earlier an analyst talking about the situation in Poland at the accession date. I want to tell you that currently, the Payments and Interventions Agency is framed and functioning at about 70% of its capacity. Over 3000 of the over 5000 people who are forecast to be employed in the final stage, have been employed within the Agency. We have not done all the hirings because of a very simple reason, because it was clear that 5000 people hired at once had nothing to work on, because they did not even know what to work on. People should be trained and the hirings are done in successive stages as soon as the agencies are implanted in the territory.
I want to point out that they are already implanted in the counties, at the level of the territory. Until they start working, to distribute the subsidies awarded by EU to the agriculture, they are already making the payment of the subsidies in the agriculture on the basis of the budget and policies in the agriculture field.
The third technical field which I want to refer to and which is also marked with a red flag is the Integrate System of Administration and Control in Agriculture (IACS), it is about the system through which, by photographing, helps identifying the cultivated plots of land of the agriculture lands. This system is translated in digital maps and on its basis; the subsidies' payments are made. 40% of the collected data have been already processed and surely, it is a long standing process, but I repeat the Ministry of Agriculture gave assurances that these aspects can be solved until the end of the year.
The third element is related to the sanitary veterinary field, the dog - catching service. The procedures related to the auction for the firms' selection have been already fulfilled, the winning firm or the winning firms have already been selected, what follows now is the streamlining of the system.
Finally, the last element refers to the implementation of the IT systems, related to the inter-operability of the VAT collection systems. Here, the procedures are advanced, there were certain delays because of some complaints related to the auction stage, these complaints have been analyzed and solved at the level of the European Commission Delegation in Bucharest . The system implementation is currently taking place, and as of the 1st of July, according to the graph set out with the firms that won the auction - high prestige companies, as far as I know, IBM and some other of the same rank.
As of the 1st of July, the system will start testing. A six month period for testing the system is forecast, consequently the date of effective operation related to our European partners is once more clearly achievable, the 1st of January 2007 .
The way I have done so far, I will personally chair and supervise the way the measures necessary to solve these problems will be taken, I will coordinate the actions of the institutions that are entitled within the Executive Committee for European Integration, the institutional framework that over this period, allowed the very strict monitoring and of course the inter- institutional cooperation which is essential for these measures to be implemented.
At the same time, I want to point out very clearly that we will continue the efforts regarding the judiciary reform and the fight against corruption. The fact that we do not have anymore red flags in these fields should not make us slow down the engines. It is a clear difference which has been made in these fields and I can state that this motivates and rally us to continue the same way.
There should be very clearly stated that the success of the judiciary reform and the fight against corruption cannot exclusively depend on the efforts of the Minister of Justice or on the Prime Minister and Government's efforts. It is necessary a concerted effort of all institutions, of the Parliament that needs to adopt the necessary legislation, the structures of the judiciary system have to fulfill their duties.
We also need the cooperation of the civil society which can play an extraordinary role in the monitoring of this prevention, education and professionalizing process. The way I told you, I assure you that we will continue the efforts the way we have done so far for the accession objective we have established for the 1st of January 2007 to be fulfilled.
The proof that we keep our promises and we do our job is reflected exactly by the way we have worked so far, and what we have achieved so far.
I also underline that the European integration cannot be only the Government's effort. It is an effort which is related to the political specter, the Parliament, other institutions, civil society, mass media and every citizen.
For this reason, I want to thank all those who have contributed to the achievement of this effort, firstly at the level of the Cabinet; I thank all Ministers who have fought together for us to have today a clearly improved performance. Of course, the Parliament has played an important role. I would like to thank other institutions of the state, the judiciary, I thank them all.
We have to achieve further on other objectives: the implementation of the necessary measures for us to join the EU on the 1st of January 2007 with all homework done and to be able to successfully integrate into the European Union.
Romania 's preparation for the after January 1st 2007 is other extremely important element. In this respect, some factors which I want to refer to will play a key role:
• Implementation of the European principles and procedures;
• Use of the European funds for viable projects- this will be the great challenge;
• Continuation of the internal reforms in all fields, including in the implementation of the National Development Plan which has as strategic development directions, the infrastructure investment and the human capital investment (research, development, education, innovation).
All these show that Romania is on the right path and I am convinced that for Romania , the EU integration will mean the transformation into a modern state. As a lot of people ask about the negative consequences of the EU accession, I want to tell that there are no negative consequences. One thing should be known very clear: one of the main obligations is the law observance, the rule of law. As EU member state, every Romanian citizen has to understand that he has to observe the law and the legal framework of Romania . In this framework, every citizen can build a dignified and prosperous life, through honest and fair work.
For this objective to be achieved there is necessary for everybody to contribute to it. Not only the Government efforts, as I have previously told it, the central administration plays an important role too, but the local administrations will play an increasingly important role especially regarding the elaboration of regional development projects.
We need the support of the Parliament, the political parties, the civil society in order to continue these reforms. A climate of political and social stability allows the Executive to obviously concentrate on these problems which are essential. Also, the society needs a high level of information on European themes. Each of us should know what follows. Surely, in this respect, the mass media has probably most to do and we are ready to put at its disposal all the necessary information.
At the same time, I can tell you that this evening, the President of the European Commission, Mr. Barroso and the Commissioner for enlargement, Mr. Olli Rehn will come to Romania . There will be a few rounds of meetings this evening and tomorrow. Further more, there will press statements too and you can ask questions.
Reporter
The US Ambassador has mentioned that there are still problems regarding corruption. The Report mentions such problems too. Although they have to be solved by the judiciary system, the responsibility falls to the Government. How can you solve them?
Mr. Calin Popescu – Tariceanu
Firstly, I want to remark a net difference regarding the appreciations between us and our partners in the judiciary field. Regarding Romania , the conclusions mention every time the consolidation of the progress already made and the continuation of the efforts is requested in order to demonstrate results further on. The justice as independent institution in state is as aware of the efforts which should be made. The effort belongs not only to the Government. In Romania , there is an institutional framework which allows us to look confidently at the justice capacity to continue this progress. In this respect, the Superior Council of Magistracy has an increasingly role to play.
Reporter
Has this report personally surprised you?
Mr. Calin Popescu – Tariceanu
My point of view counts less in these situations. I speak in my capacity as Prime Minister, Head of the Government. The report practically underlines what we know we have achieved. The appreciations cannot be a surprise for me, since I know the efforts which I have made, because these efforts have been coordinate by me, as Prime Minister. We know very well the things which have been achieved and what we have to achieve further on,
the technical issues which I referred to as well as the necessity to continue in the same pace, on the same direction. It is the commitment that I undertake today because I have the conviction that we can fulfill all our commitments for the accession to be a successful one. I do not want Romania to be regarded as a country which joined further to some concessions. Romania is able to fulfill its commitments. It has proven it. On a very short period, since the October 2005 Report until now, 10 of the red flags have been solved. It is a matter of time to solve the others too. Romania is able to show that it is a genuine European state not only regarding the adoption of the EU Acquis in the Parliament but its implementation too, related to its conduct, either there is about the state institutions, the political, economic and social area.
Reporter
Do you believe that Romania can be hindered by Bulgaria , given the fact that both countries are evaluated together?
Mr. Calin Popescu – Tariceanu
The report conclusions show that both countries are assessed together. I would have been glad if a distinct differentiation had been made. There is a difference nevertheless, made in the report and in conclusions. I am convinced that Bulgaria will make efforts too. Regarding the triggering of the safeguard clause, the conditions stipulated in the Accession Treaty have been much tougher regarding Romania than Bulgaria . If for Bulgaria , an unanimity of the member countries' positions is needed, in case of Romania , a qualified majority is needed, consequently a smaller number. If Romania had been today in the situation of our neighbors, the delay might have been decided.
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