Romanians’ Future Access to EU Job Markets Stirs up Emotions

President Traian Basescu, in an article carried by International Herald Tribune Wednesday, said that Romania would answer with like-measures, if the West will restrict Romanians’ access on their job markets.

"We will not shy from it," was the message Basescu wanted to send the chancelleries around Europe.

"But if there are countries that choose to apply this system," he said, "obviously Romania will apply similar measures to citizens from that country. No one should count on our timidity," IHT quoted Basescu saying.

The equal status the story alludes to in its title is reminiscent of the fears both Romania and Bulgaria harbor for being treated as second-rate citizens of the European Union.

Basescu backed his stance that Romanians would not rush to Great Britain or other EU member states, with reference to the country’s standard of living.

"The increase in salaries at private companies has exploded, and Romania also faces a labor shortage, especially in construction," he said. "We believe that the Romanian market will remain an incentive, so that migration will not be an issue." IHT quoted Basescu.

Leonard Orban, deputy minister for EU Integration and former chief negotiator with the EU, told Mediafax wire service that no decision regarding the access of foreign workers on Romania’s market would be made before the EU member states would decide what to make with Romanians coming on their job markets.

"When negotiating its EU accession Romania reserved the right to answer with like-measures if one or several EU member states would decide to restrict the access of Romanians on their job markets," explained Orban.

"But this is not to be applied automatically," clarified he.

Such decision could be made no sooner than October 2006, Orban said.