Brussels, 03/11/2000 (Agence Europe) - The Bulgarian government launched, on Thursday, an appeal to the EU member countries for them to decide on removing their country from the "black list" of third countries whose nationals must have a visa to enter onto EU territory, and this independently from the fate reserved to Romania, which is also in the same black list. At this stage, Bulgaria and Romania are the only of the twelve candidate countries that are negotiating their accession whose citizens are submitted to the obligation of a visa to enter into the EU. The European Commission (supported by the European Parliament) proposed that the two countries be withdrawn from this list, but they still lack a favourable decision from the Member States. A vote on this issue is planned for next 30 November when the Justice and Home Affairs Council gathers.
In the meantime, Bulgaria says it is confident for its own case, but it fears that its case be treated together with that of Romania, instead of being treated on the bases of its own merits. Romania, it seems, is far from entirely convincing all of the Fifteen of the effectiveness of the measures taken to fight illegal immigration and the trafficking in human beings.
"We have the assurance from each of the 15 EU countries that they support the exit of Bulgaria from the black list for which the entry visa is required, and this in virtue of the progress achieved", announced the spokesperson for the Bulgarian Minister for Foreign Affairs. This seems to be confirmed in a letter from the Council President Hubert Védrine to his Bulgarian counterpart Nadejda Mikhailova. "Bulgaria wants for the progress made by each country to be assessed individually", added the Bulgarian spokesperson. According to unconfirmed sources, Bulgaria would have even threatened to withdraw from the Stability Pact for the Balkans in the case where the 30 November decision was negative. The European Commission refused on Friday to comment on these rumours.
In the meantime, the Romanian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Petre Roman, suggested to the Fifteen to temporarily suspend the visa obligation for the Romanians (as the EU already did for the Slovaks) in order to check the behaviour of the Romanian citizens before taking a final decision later. "Firstly, the visas would only be suspended, until it is seen that the Romanians are going to European Union countries for perfectly honourable reasons", announced Mr Roman. The Romanian Minister for Home Affairs, Constantin Dudu Ionescu, on his side felt that the removal of the visa for Romanians did not present a risk for the EU. "Romania assumes the obligations aiming to increase the security of the borders, and it respects them", he announced. Mr Ionescu also rejected the accusations according to which Romania would be the main transit country for illegal immigrants going to Western Europe.