Guido Podesta, president of the Romania-EU joint parliamentary group, said yesterday after the meeting with Romanian Democrat leader Emil Boc that Romania's accession to the EU in January 1, 2007 was guaranteed. The EU official claimed that EU Commission for Enlargement Olli Rehn had a very positive attitude at Romania, because the latter state's progress was even grater than the progress made by some states that had joined the EU in 2004. Still Podesta mentioned there were certain problems to be settled in some fields. He outlined that January 1, 2007 meant continuation and explained that afterwards there would follow monitoring on certain aspects to be outlined in June. The EU official also said that monitoring did not mean EU states' distrust in Romania, but a condition to ensure economic development. As for the PD (Democrat Party)'s intention to join the EPP, Podesta opined this would mean new political balance for this orientation in the Parliament of Romania. Podesta claimed it was more important to have powerful representation in the EPP and in the European Socialist Party instead of ample dispersion in all the groups in the Parliament of Europe. He opined that Romanian Democrats' solicitation should be appreciated. (C.E.)