The EU report to be released in May is more favorable to Romania "because we respect what you have achieved", said Doris Pack in yesterday's informative seminar in Bucharest, held by leaders of EPP (the European People's Party) and PD (the Democrat Party). Pack said Romania had done more progress for EU accession than Bulgaria, but added that the former state had still wasted much time before starting. As for the EPP skepticism about the EU accession, Doris Pack claimed EPP was the friend of Romania and as friend it was also a critic. The German MEP also mentioned minorities' issues in yesterday's seminar, saying a minority was to have both rights and duties. Pack mentioned: "One has to learn the language of the country one lives in. If not, you don't deserve the country to take care of you." She said the Magyars' cultural identity had to be respected, just as they had the right to speak their mother tongue. She said she had no information about difficulties of minorities in Romania. She concluded we should go on this way, settle rights for minorities and also ask them to do their duties. (...) PD vice president Sorin Frunzaverde who initiated the seminar said there were positive signs from EPP. The Democrat leader opined: "It is natural that such relations should involve training too. This is a workshop for Democrat MPs and also an EPP practice to explain the system of popular values and our presence in European structures."

Raluca PAPADOPOL