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Germany's Merkel: Romania must strengthen rule of law
Romania’s accession to the Schengen area will depend on the country's observance of technical conditions to ensure the European Union’s external border security, and not on aspects regarding the social integration of Roma ethnics, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday during a meeting with Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc She was more reticent on the subject of Romania's application to join Europe's visa-free travel zone, the Schengen zone . Merkel pointed out that in November, German authorities will asses the way Romania observed technical conditions to join the Schengen area, especially visa granting conditions, adding the assessment will be based on data offered by the European Commission.The German Chancellor highlighted that Romanian authorities must continue the process of reforming the country's justice sector. The EU could not open itself up to crime and corruption, she said. She also said that the EC's Cooperation and Verification Mechanism helps the Romanian Government see the stage of this process. Like Bulgaria, Romania is aiming to join the visa-free zone in 2011. Both countries became members of the European Union in 2007. On Monday, Merkel visited Sofia and also avoided promising a quick decision on its accession.
Merkel asks Romanian state to accelerate restitution of German citizens' houses
Visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel said during talks with Prime Minister Emil Boc that the Romanian authorities should accelerate the restitution of the nationalised houses and buildings that had belonged to the German citizens.'With respect to the German citizens' expectations regarding the restitution demands, we spoke about this issue so that it should be promoted faster, although there is a rather difficult judicial matter', Merkel said.German She also said that Romania must continue with reforms to strengthen the rule of law and make the country safe for investors. There was 'no sensible alternative to transparent and clear legal conditions,' Merkel said after meeting with Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc. For his part, Boc assured Merkel that Romania's 143-million-euro debt to German companies would be paid off bit by bit.
Govt Will Keep 16% Flat Tax
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc told German Chancellor Angela Merkel Tuesday Romania will pay its debts to private companies and the government will continue to support investors by keeping the 16% flat tax, not taxing reinvested profit and developing public-private partnerships. "Romania will continue to promote three important measures to attract German investors: keeping the flat tax at 16%, not taxing reinvested profit and adopting the law regulating public-private partnerships, which will allow the development of major Romanian-German projects to modernize Romania's infrastructure," Boc said after talks with Merkel.He added they discussed the possibility of extending bilateral cooperation in the fields of transport, tourism, agriculture and renewable energy. Boc also said that Romania salutes Germany's decision to liberalize its labor market for temporary workers, as of January 1, 2011.Germany is among European Union member states that maintain restrictions for Romanian and Bulgarian workers.
Angela Merkel met with President Traian Basescu at the Cotroceni Palace
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, during talks with Romanian President Traian Basescu at the Cotroceni presidential Palace on Tuesday, said Germany is willing to back Romania for a more substantial European Union integration.'We are always willing to back Romania on the road toward a more substantial integration in the European Union. We know your country is hit by the economic crisis too and that is why it is good that we have close relations in the economic area and we have rendered mutual support by the anti-crisis packages and I think this visit of today will be a subsequent contribution to us having more intense relations than they already are', Merkel said.Basescu thanked the German Chancellor for the assistance offered by Berlin to Bucharest on issues related to the Mechanism of Cooperation and Verification (MCV) on justice.