Romania believes that, in Serbia, there are serious issues as regards the observance of the national minorities rights, in conditions in which this keeps to the political criterion for the start of accession negotiations to the European Union, said on Wednesday Minister of European Affairs Leonard Orban.

"Our interpretation is very clear: namely that serious problems exist as concerns the observance of national minorities rights in Serbia," said Orban, answering a journalist's question.

In the context, he stressed that for the accession of Romania and of the other countries to the EU, as well, observance of the political criterion was imposed prior to negotiations.

"The political criterion also means respect for the national minorities rights in those countries. (...) Romania requires an extremely important thing, it is about respecting the political criterion by Serbia, specifically respect for the rights of national minorities", he added.

He also stressed that, on Tuesday, at the General Affairs Council, Romania did not block Serbia to obtain the candidate status for accession to the European Union, but "wished that the discussion is raised at the level of the European Council", convened on March 1.

Regarding the negative comments made by some foreign ministers of the European Union member states, following Romania's decision, Leonard Orban noted that they were rather "hotheaded" reactions.

"In discussions of this kind, in negotiations of this kind, reactions tend to be hotheaded", said the Romanian Minister of European Affairs.

Leonard Orban attended on Wednesday a conference on issues connected to the European Social Fund.