Europarliamentarian Marian Jean Marinescu: It is absolutely necessary that the EU extension goes on for countries from Western Balkans and Moldova

The future strategy of the EU’s expansion should ground on the experience gathered till now, and the current political and economic situation. The former expansions have brought benefits both to the EU adn the joining countries, Marian Jean Marinescu considers, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. "There are arguments to continue the extension. I think it would be to the detriment of the EU, if states as the ones from the Balkans or Moldova remain outside," the europarliamentarian. During the debates on the Process and Strategy of the EU’s expansion, Marian Jean Marinescu also proposed a new mechanism of approaching the neighborhood relation with the neighbor countries. “We need neighboring states able to develop strong democracies, functional market economies and states of law. Now, the neighborhood policy is based on cooperation or association pacts unfolding similar activities to a negotiating process, but at a lesser level,” the Romanian eurodeputy says. According to Marian Jean Marinescu, to strengthen the EU and to reach the moment for new expansions, there is an obligatory condition: the reform of the EU institutions. Ratifying the Lisbon Treaty is a must and must be realized by all the member states.