%0 Journal Article %T The State of Law ¨C between Ambition and Reality %A Nicoleta Diaconu %A C£¿t£¿lin Andrus %J Acta Universitatis Danubius : Juridica %D 2011 %I Danubius University %X Objectives: This article proposes to analyze if the statements regarding the unconsciousness of the law state in Romania, as a reason for not being included in the Schengen Area, are susceptible when the evolution of the relations between Romania and the European International Structures have confirmed the beginning of the rule of law in our country. Prior work: The special literature doesn¡¯t offer many documentaries regarding this subject because the statements that doubt the real existence of the law state in Romania are recent. Even so, the previous analyses show the rule of law in Romania only regarding the justice, without saying anything about the efficiency of these rules. Approach: We analyzed the way that the elements of the law state, as they have been identified in the international documents, are mentioned in the constitutional law in our country. Based on these documents, we analyzed if some risky elements towards the law state confirm or not the previous statements. Implications: The study is useful to highlight the institutional declines and also to offer arguments in order to join the Schengen area. Value: The study wants to offer arguments in order to confirm or to infirm the statements that doubt the existence of the law state. %K the rule of law %K the independence of justice %K the principle of separation of powers %U http://journals.univ-danubius.ro/index.php/juridica/article/view/979/876