Government reacts to Nicholson report

The preliminary report of the European rapporteur, Baroness Emma Nicholson, which warns about the possibility of Romania’s accession negotiations being halted, was dismissed by PM Adrian Nastase and Integration minister Hildegard Puwak on Thursday, while the leaders of the opposition parties considered it a warning.

PM Adrian Nastase yesterday dismissed the draft report drawn up by Baroness Emma Nicholson estimating that certain data in the report are mere “errors,” misinterpretations or exaggerations.

The PM specified he was to send two letters, one to Baroness Emma Nicholson and one to the European Commissioner for Enlargement Guenther Verheugen, which letters should set some of the information in the report straight

“Romania will open 24 new accession chapters by the end of December, which will enable it to catch up with the other applicant states,” Adrian Nastase said.

The Government session on Thursday was presided by President Ion Iliescu, while PM Adrian Nastase said the topics on the agenda were the Government’s future actions, progress of accession negotiations, progress of the translation of the acquis communautaire and urgent programmes to ensure absorption of community programmes.

The PM volunteered no concrete example about the comments made to the draft report and explained he was to release this material in form of a comparative table.

The PM last Thursday before the Government session discussed with the European Commissioner for Enlargement. “As he said in Bucharest, the European Commissioner feels Romania has made progress, and is going in the right direction.”

For most chapters, the draft report makes reference to past periods, while its evaluations are inaccurate in relation to the actions and measures taken over the past few months, that is the current situation, according to a release signed by the European Integration minister Hildegard Puwak.