Nicolae, Romania
Interview with Nicolae, 52, Romania, administrator in a construction company
-What is the first thing that comes to your mind hen you think about EU?
Nicolae: I do not want to think about it, I don’t feel very comfortable when I think of 2007. Let’s just say I am pessimistic.
-Were the needs and reasons of your country to join EU discussed enough in the media?
Nicolae: Some things were discussed. But not in regards to our needs or reasons. I guess the media doesn’t know either. They talk about what they hear from others….this is the policy adopted by the EU leaders. It is not a concrete speech.
-What are the fears of your country regarding EU?
Nicolae: Everybody is skeptical. It is all about the money. There is no correlation between prices and salaries in Romania, I mean with 200 euros salary per month and 180 euros to be spent in basic need, there is not much left. They should impose a correlation between prices and salaries not just huge prices. Otherwise, we will continue to lack a middle class.
-Why this pessimism?
Nicolae: I do not trust our political class and the European one, I don’t know it.
-Do you know how the EU works?
Nicolae: I have a guess, yes. It is about new rules. It is very difficult though to impose EU regulations in Romania. We are too far from the Member States economically speaking. It will probably take dozens of years to modernize our country.
-What do you think about the majority of the legislation coming from EU?
Nicolae: If it is to help the citizens and represent the needs of the Member States then it is ok. But not all of the rules are like this. I think that they should all be adapted to the specific needs of each country. The law should also be equal for every social class in Romania.
-What should the EU focus on?
Nicolae: On the Romanian infrastructure, job creation and higher salaries. In this way the Romanian people would not be forced anymore to leave the country. It is not easy for them, you know. In the West, there is a lot of discrimination against Romanians. If they go to Germany for example they will be paid worse than a German citizen. Sure, it is a higher salary than the one they receive in Romania….but, still, why not creating jobs in our country? I am very curious to see how the EU will handle the situation of jobs. Our politicians sold the economic giants and other SMEs to foreigners and the number of jobs was very much lowered during this process…
-Do you agree with the European Union to be turned into a federation or a cooperation of Member States is enough?
Nicolae: It is already a federalist system. At least the way I see it. I would prefer a close cooperation between Member States as we are all too different. It is impossible otherwise to please everybody and to respect everybody.
-What would be the worse idea about EU?
Nicolae: I can’t really say. I will tell you at the end of 2007. What I can tell you is that the Hungarians and the Polish regret it as their economic development is worse…
-Should there be a limit in the enlargement process of the EU?
Nicolae: There should be no limit. Sooner or later it will continue to develop. They should be careful not to explode though…..
-Do you consider yourself informed enough about how the EU works?
Nicolae: No, I am not informed and this is not because I am not interested. It is because nobody talks about it in an understandable, conclusive way.
-Is the EU an example of democracy?
Nicolae: From the information I have it seems to be an example of democracy. However, I have one observation, for equal service they should promote equal remuneration. Then we will all be equal.
-What do you think about having a common language in the EU?
Nicolae: Imposing the knowledge of a foreign language in Europe is welcomed from my point of view. It will be in the advantage of all of us. But each national language should be kept. But the question becomes: How do they choose which one is to be common?
