Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-10-03-Speech-2-136"
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"en.20001003.4.2-136"2
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"Mr President, Romania's people welcome wholeheartedly the European Union's Helsinki decision to incorporate Romania in the first wave of the current enlargement countries. Indeed, 80% of Romania's people believe that Romania belongs in the European Union. Perhaps it is no coincidence that those same public polls show that the European Union Ambassador is the second most popular person in Romania today.
Since last December, therefore, there have been many encouraging signs. Acute poverty has been a key problem in Romania since 1990 and under the present government, the economy is at last showing real signs of improvement. The substantial loans from the World Bank and the IMF and the European Union show that success. The current Prime Minister, Mugur Isarescu, is himself on secondment from the Central Bank and therefore has excellent relationships with the international financial institutions.
The better economy should increase a still fragile public confidence in the democratic institutions and de-politicisation of the civil service must be a high priority. Romania enjoys a free press. This must be encouraged and supported. Tackling corruption at all levels will assist in building a free and open civil society.
Romania nearly fails on the Copenhagen criteria with regard to children. Here we must remember that the collapse of the Soviet Union has left thousands of children in desperate straits throughout the Union; children whose families have given way unwillingly to pressures, children who have been institutionalised wrongly, children who are treated cruelly, children who die needlessly, children who are adopted by other countries illegally, children whose only future is to be exchanged for hard currency or household goods. Central and Eastern Europe and the West Balkans are a prime source for the international child slave trade.
In Romania the government, with the active support of Commissioner Verheugen, the World Bank and the United Nations, have given us an opportunity to establish good doctrines and best practice in the region. The formation of a high level group is something that I commend to my colleagues.
Romania has many strengths. It has a unique and flourishing culture. It has an established artistic and musical heritage. It has strength in adversity. Members will recall that our helping Kosovo was timely and was of great importance. This will be reflected in the coming challenge of the OSCE which Romania adopts in January 2001 and perhaps in 2002 when Romania's probable membership of NATO will be reviewed.
We all applaud Romania for the Olympic gold, silver and bronze medals it has won in the last fortnight. We must look forward to Romania becoming a full and active member of the Union without undue delay. I therefore commend my report and its proposals to the House and urge Romania to make haste to implement the
and the Copenhagen criteria and become a member of the European Union."@en1
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