Romania and Bulgaria will not enter the Schengen area in 2014, European Commission president Jose Manual Barroso recently said to French TV station LCI.

“Romania and Bulgaria will not enter the Schengen area because there are countries that are against,” said the EC president.

Romanian President Traian Basescu stated earlier today (November 12) that the EC president didn't said that Romania will not enter the Schengen area in 2014, but that it will not enter on January 1, 2014," according to Mediafax.

He added that Romania and Bulgaria's entry in the zone depends a lot on the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (MCV) report.

In September this year, in an interview with Bulgarian National Radio, Barroso said that Romania and Bulgaria have met the criteria for Schengen area membership and should be given a chance to enter the zone as soon as possible.

Romania and Bulgaria have been awaiting to join the Schengen area, after seven years of transition since entering the EU.

Both countries have been refused access into the Schengen area in the last few years, with several countries taking turns in opposing it.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com