EU Enlargement Commissioner Guenter Verheugen said during his meeting in Brussels with Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Nastase on 12 May that he is "impressed" with Romanian authorities' recent efforts to speed up accession negotiations, adding that he is "convinced all negotiation chapters will be closed this year," Mediafax reported.

Verheugen said 2007 is a realistic target date for Romania's accession to the EU, and that it can be achieved through joint efforts by Romanian and European authorities.

Nastase said the success of Romania's EU-accession efforts depends on the Romanian government, and if it fails, it will have only itself to blame.

(RFE/RL 13.v.04)