Renate Weber (ALDE). - Mr President, I want to express today in this plenary three feelings: appreciation, anger and disappointment.

I appreciate the constant support that this House has shown to freedom of movement, and I especially appreciate the constant support for Romania’s and Bulgaria’s bid to join Schengen. We all know that, technically, those two countries have deserved to be inside the Schengen area for years now, but it has proved too good an electoral campaign theme to be passed up.

I am angry at all the European politicians and parties and governments which, abusing the natural fears of their citizens due to the financial crisis, have talked about Romanians and Bulgarian preparing to come in huge numbers in 2014 to steal jobs and abuse the welfare systems of the host countries. What a lie.

As for my disappointment, that is for the Commission, which should have done more to lay to rest the nationalistic angle that now makes life difficult for many Romanians and Bulgarians living in other EU Member States.

My country, Romania, may not enter Schengen in 2014 due to political games, but our freedom of work will finally be equal to that of all the other EU citizens, and I will fight with all my strength to keep it that way.