A British MP plans to check exactly how many Romanians and Bulgarians will arrive in the UK on January 1, 2014, when work restrictions on the two countries will lift, and when many fear a wave of immigrants would hit UK.

Keith Vaz, a Labor Party MP, announced he'd personally check how many Romanians and Bulgarians would arrive on the Luton airport on January 1, 2014, 'just to make sure”. “The first flight from Romania lands at 7:40. The second, at 21. we will be there for the first flight to see what measures have been implemented and how many people will come,” said Vaz.

Another member of the internal affairs committee headed by Vaz, Mark Reckless, will join. Vaz made the pledge during a Commons debate on the impact Romanian and Bulgarians migrants would have.

The UK authorities have stepped up their campaign to stop Romanians from migrating to the country after labor restrictions are lifted next year, sending police officers to Transylvania and working on a proposal to limit migrant numbers.

A team from Scotland Yard recently visited rural Romania to warn residents not to come to the UK unless they already have a job organized.

Meanwhile, a recent leaked report from the British Home Office revealed a proposal to limit annual EU immigration 75,000.

The report, revealed by the Sunday Times, said that unlimited immigration from the EU had damaged the job prospects of low-skilled Brits, encouraged “benefit tourism” and put pressure on public services.

However, Romania’s Ambassador to London, Ion Jinga has countered, saying the country’s fears of a “wave” of Romanian and Bulgarian immigration next year are inflating, having been fueled by media and political scaremongering.

With hysteria among some British newspapers reaching fever pitch ahead of the lifting of labor restrictions on Romanians and Bulgarians on January 1, business magazine The Economist has taken a different stance.

In an open letter on their website, The Economist bids welcome to migrants from the two countries, celebrating immigration, its positive impact and apologizing for the negativity of the UK press and British politicians.

As of January 1, Romanians and Bulgarians will no longer need a work permit for employment in the UK. Presently, migrants from the countries need to be either self-employed or possess a work permit.

editor@romania-insider.com