Romania will not be accepted into the Schengen area in 2015 nor in 2016. Prime Minister Victor Ponta explained Saturday in Amman, that there is no political consensus when it comes to Romania's accession to Schengen.
Ponta added that, given the position of the Netherlands, which next year will take over the EU presidency , chances are very low that Romania could join the Schengen area earlier than 2017.
"The JHA meeting is next week and we were told very clearly that there was no consensus. I am telling you straight: they vote against, all the countries that usually voted against and then there was no point in submitting it to vote in the current context . Next year , the presidency will be held by the Netherlands whom you know what a good friend it was to Romania on Schengen. We'll see. Currently it is clear that the Schengen file, as far as I and the Government is concerned, I think it is pointless to keep asking something from somebody who will not hear us.
"We have a problem in that we have a very rigid visa system. We have always had a very hard regime in the hope that we will get into Schengen. Now, we will live with this hope as long as we will live or as long as Schengen will. This is the reason why I want to analyze the system and I want Romania to be a welcoming country for honest business people, tourists who want to come to Romania, of course, keeping all security rules. (...) we do have more difficult entrance conditions than Germany or France, we thought we would get into Schengen if we are tougher. There, we were tough and we have still not joined the Schengen and frankly I do not think we should delude ourselves too much in the upcoming period, " Ponta said.