Bulgaria has met the situations to affix Europe’s passport-free Schengen space by strengthening its borders and efforts to fight unlawful migration, the Netherlands stated Friday (15 December), as Sofia took one step nearer to becoming a member of.
The Dutch authorities has “come to the conclusion that Bulgaria meets the situations set for Schengen accession and might due to this fact conform to a call resulting in Bulgaria’s full software to Schengen”, Dutch deputy justice minister Eric van der Burg stated.
The Schengen space contains 23 of the 27 EU member international locations plus related neighbours Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
Each the Netherlands and Austria have up to now thwarted Sofia’s bid to enter the free-to-travel zone over worries that the inflow of asylum-seekers might develop if the Schengen zone was expanded.
However a current follow-up mission led by the European Fee to Bulgaria discovered that there have been no shortcomings, together with in its border controls, Van der Burg stated.
The nation “continued to accurately apply the Schengen acquis”, he stated in a letter to parliament.
“The federal government welcomes the outcomes of the fact-finding missions and agrees with the conclusions drawn up by the consultants from the member states and the Fee,” Van der Burg stated.
“It exhibits that Bulgaria has continued to spend money on the proper software of your complete Schengen settlement in recent times,” he stated.
He added nonetheless that Bulgaria needed to “proceed to work on strengthening its borders.”
Parliamentary vote
Reacting to the announcement, Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov stated he was anticipating “constructive information” to come back out of the Netherlands as early as subsequent week, when the Dutch parliament might determine to “carry the veto” on Sofia’s Schengen bid.
“The ultimate determination to carry the veto has to come back from the Dutch parliament, and that may occur subsequent week, if all goes properly,” Denkov stated.
Established in 1985 and now numbering 27 international locations, the Schengen border-free space permits individuals and items to journey freely, often with out exhibiting journey or customs paperwork.
Since 2011 the EU Fee has thought-about Bulgaria and Romania prepared to affix Schengen. After successive vetoes from a number of members, Bulgaria and Romania — EU members since 2007 — had been but once more turned away on the finish of 2022.
Austria vetoed each functions, whereas the Netherlands — till now — opposed Bulgaria’s bid too.
Earlier this week, Austria floated the concept of what it referred to as “Air Schengen”, saying it was prepared to ease guidelines for air site visitors for Bulgaria and Romania if Brussels strengthens its exterior borders.
Negotiations with Austria had been ongoing, Denkov stated Friday, stressing that “till it’s agreed, all the pieces is preliminary talks”.
Friday’s determination was made by the outgoing Dutch authorities, which is able to step down as soon as a brand new authorities has been fashioned following 22 November elections.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is taken into account as frontrunner to be the following Secretary Normal. The election is set by consensus.
(Edited by Georgi Gotev)
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