Romania’s delayed accession to Schengen area doesn’t affect Moldova

The delay of Romania’s accession to Schengen Area doesn’t affect Moldova, which isn’t ready to benefit of visa-free travel regime. Victor Chirila, head of the Foreign Policy Association, told Info-Prim Neo Moldova didn’t meet political and technical criteria. The expert stressed that if Romania joins the Schengen Area next year, this might improve EU’s opinion about the quality of services at the Moldo-Romanian border and enhance Moldova’s geopolitical status. “It’s important for Moldova to obtain the Plan of actions regarding EU visa regime liberalization, to begin the cooperation and implementation of this plan. Once the process kicks off, technical criteria will have to be met and the Government will have to prove the reforms are efficient and they bring the projected results”, he said. Victor Chirila thinks that the start of Plan’s implementation will require improved control at the border with Romania. This can be used by Romania as an argument in negotiations with EU members uncertain about Romania’s accession to Schengen Area. On the other hand, Moldovan citizens will have to pay for Schengen visas after Romania’s accession to the Area. So far, Moldovans obtained Romanian visas for free. Romania and Bulgaria were supposed to join Schengen Area in March 2011, but France and Germany requested a delay, claiming the former had problems with fight against corruption and organized crime, justice and security issues.