The 1st of January 2007

The latest report of the European Commission recommends Romania’s adherence to the European Union on the 1st of January 2007. Romania’s and Bulgaria’s adherence doesn’t mean the end of the monitoring for the two countries, which will be done in accordance to a sui generic "cooperation and examination" mechanism. All the countries in the EU are monitored. In the cases of Romania and Bulgaria, the monitoring instruments take into account the malfunctioning of justice, of the mechanism for the absorption of the structural funds (especially in agriculture), of the mechanism for the regulation of the agricultural food products’ quality. We don’t have to feel offended by these additional monitoring instruments, because we should surmount the mentioned insufficiencies as soon as possible.

The occidental press mentioned the approval of the adherence on the 1st of January 2007. Some voices didn’t hesitate reminding the two countries are yet to go through with all the adherence criteria, that it was wrong to mention a date for the adherence. However, several countries of the ten that adhered in May 2004 had been in similar situations. It is true that Romania and Bulgaria will be two of the poorest countries in the Union, with imported rural economies, with precarious infrastructure, with institutions in need of important consolidation and purification. The academic discussions about the opportunity of the 2007 moment will continue. At present, the important thing for Romania and Bulgaria is to gain as much as they can from this adherence. Moreover, they should represent a "value added" to the debates regarding the problems of the European Union, even if the contribution is made of questions and dilemmas, but not clear and final solutions.

Romania is on the last train to Europe. The morale of the electorate in several countries of the Union, the fatigue in the Union’s institutions, the financial consequences of the extension (which determine talks on the absorption capacity as far as the new members are concerned) make it almost impossible for the Union to start a new extension period anytime soon. There are people already talking about the adherence of Croatia a decade from now, and the case of Turkey is practically frozen, despite the institutionalized systematic dialogue.

It won’t be easy in the Union, if we take into account the almost congenital weakness of certain Romanian companies. The laws will be different, which actually means higher costs (for the consumer and environment protection). However, there should be several advantages as well, which don’t come just from the absorption of European funds. A healthier business environment, more productive investments as well as more intense absorption of new technologies should launch the Romanian economy on a superior trajectory. With the help of a quick and positive productivity, the durability of the economical growth at a pace of 5-6% per year should be assured. This would allow an increase in the income per capita from the present 1/3 to more than 55% in approximately 10 years. Moreover, a clairvoyant public strategy and a proper use of the European funds would allow the modernization of the rural environment, the powerful development of the country’s infrastructure, more funds for education and health.

Romania must win the modernization bet. The adherence to the Union is a historical chance, which should be capitalized by the political class and by the country’s intellectual elites.

Translated by Sorin Balan