Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-12-15-Speech-3-219"
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"en.20041215.7.3-219"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I thank the rapporteur, Mr Moscovici, for giving us a balanced report, which points out the advances made by Romania in recent years. Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne did well to recall the position from which Romania started and the reasons that have made progress so difficult for that country. Even so, Mr Moscovici has also pointed out the limitations and shortcomings that characterise Romania’s situation today.
Some Members from countries that joined the European Union on 1 May this year have called for greater severity. I should like them to reread what was said in this Chamber before their countries joined, when we were looking at how far they had progressed on their path towards joining the Union. In all likelihood they still had considerable shortcomings at that stage but, even so, it was thought appropriate that they should be allowed to join at the agreed time.
In the case of Romania, we also have a safeguard clause, which was not provided in the other cases. I therefore believe it is only fair to give that country the chance to do its utmost over the next two years so that it can be ready when the time comes to actually join our Union.
There is no doubt that there are topics about which our fellow citizens are concerned, the most important of which is the inadequacy of the fight against organised crime. If we were to ask people in the streets of our countries to say how afraid they often felt of criminal gangs, we would surely be inclined to encourage the Romanian Government to do more in that direction. As Mr Leinen rightly recalled, the fight against corruption is widespread in the countries joining our Union.
I should also like to touch on the topic of children. This is a subject that I have addressed extensively in recent years, together with Baroness Nicholson. Child protection issues need to be placed at the heart of our thinking. I believe, however, that the proposal put forward by the rapporteur of having an international commission is a good solution. If we want to prevent those children from spending their adolescence and youth on the streets of our cities or shut up in institutions, we have to take into account the dozens of families that have already made contact with them and would love to be able to give them affection. Let us therefore welcome Mr Moscovici’s suggestion to that effect.
Lastly, Mr President, we need to consider the importance of stability. We shall see whether the outcome of the recent elections in Bucharest will lead to political stability. I believe that that is what we all wish for, because only with stability can there be any hope of seeing Romania ready to meet its commitments."@en1
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