Ready for Europe?

DW-TV: Mr. President, on Tuesday we will hear from Brussels if your country will join the European Union on Jan. 1, 2007. What signals have you had from Brussels?

Traian Basescu: If you want to hear just one opinion: The report will recommend accession for Romania on Jan. 1, 2007. In any case, it will not recommend postponing accession. We have fulfilled all the obligations we took on.

Do you think Romania will be subject to certain conditions?

No, I don't think there will be safeguard clauses for certain sectors. But, based on the previous experiences of the European Union with other member states, there will certainly be recommendations to continue monitoring developments in Romania. We are in agreement with that.

Is your country ready for the EU?

Absolutely yes. I might say we've been ready for the European Union for nearly 65 years -- since we were forced out of Europe against our will.

Still, we do hear criticism of some developments in your country. For example, the fight against organized crime and corruption. Is there more to do, or are you succeeding now?

Romania has demonstrated over the past years that it has undertaken enormous efforts to achieve the quality standards expected of a member-state of the European Union. The developments of the past two years show that there's an exceptional political will to fight both corruption and organized crime. We see that in the Romanian press as well as in the fact that the Romanian people feel that things are changing.

Mr. President, do you think Romania is seen more critically than the eastern European countries that joined two years ago?

No, not at all. But for Romania it looks as if public opinion in the EU is very touchy about the enlargement process. We consider the demands that have been made on Romania to be justified. The only thing we could not accept would be discrimination against us. But that's not what is happening. These are simply conditions that have to be met. And that is good for us.

If you will allow me a little joke: All the officials who monitored the entry of the 10 states into the European Union in 2004 were later deployed to monitor just two states -- namely Romania and Bulgaria. So actually for us that meant we've already had total monitoring.

That's one justification for European bureaucracy. Mr. President, how pro-European is the mood in your country?

According to a sociological survey, the support among Romanians for a united Europe is remarkably high. Sixty-eight percent of the Romanian population is not only in favor of Romania joining the EU, but also supports the constitutional treaty. The Romanians will be the most important supporters of Europe.

You have had many economic successes in recent years. What economic benefits will Romania have once it has joined?

We will have huge advantages. You know that we are already seeing -- for the sixth year in a row -- economic growth that is higher than 6 percent. In the first six months of this year we had a rise in the gross domestic product of 7.4 percent. And we predict that we will have a growth rate of 7.5 percent by the end of this year. In addition, there is a considerable influx of capital. Between 2007 and 2013 we will receive 32 billion euros ($30.7 billion) from the European Union. We will be adding another 30 billion of our own to that, for example, to develop rural infrastructure, fight environmental pollution, and for the further education for our workers. I believe that, in terms of its economic and social perspectives and also in terms of its loyalty to Europe, Romania will be a pleasant surprise for the union.

People in the European Union fear that many Romanians will go to other EU member countries to work. Do you fear a huge labor drain from your country in a single market where workers can move freely?

No. In accordance with the agreements that we have already made, Romanians who wanted to work in the EU have had this right for several years. At the moment more than two million Romanians are working in EU countries. Romania is about to experience a lack of workers in several sectors of the economy. At the same time, this looming shortage has led to impressive wage hikes for workers in certain areas in the years 2005 and 2006. That means there is no particular incentive for Romanians to leave in droves in search of work abroad, as long as wages at home are at a satisfactory level. I do not think Romania's EU entry will lead to a wave of emigration.

Do you think that with your country's accession, the likely entry of Bulgaria and probably of Croatia, EU enlargement will come to an end? Or are you also in favor of offering countries like Ukraine and others a chance to join?

It is difficult to evaluate when -- or whether -- the EU should offer the option of membership to Ukraine. What is certain is that before the EU thinks about Ukraine, it has to first solve one of the biggest problems. It has to find a solution, which will give a permanent European perspective to the western Balkans and the Republic of Moldova. Before the European Union can think about Ukraine it has to find a solution to guarantee security of the Black Sea.

Mr. President, you've had a career as a ship's captain. In our last interview -- also here in Berlin -- I asked you if you were confident you could steer the Romanian ship into the port of Europe. Now it seems you have succeeded. Are you glad?

I feel we've reached the next stage. But the Romanian ship will only be safely in port when Romania becomes modern.

We wish you all the best for that regatta.

Alexander Kudascheff interviewed Traian Basescu (win)