Many Bulgarians Side with Dutch Opposition to Schengen Bid – Research Journalist

Bulgarian research journalist Tatyana Vaksberg has said that Bulgarians echo Dutch distrust in the government's ability to curb corruption and organized crime. Photo by BGNES

Bulgarians have come to side with the Dutch government regarding the country's Schengen bid, according to journalist Tatyana Vaksberg.

In an article published on the Deustche Welle website, she cites a poll by Open Society Institute - Sofia conducted in August stating that 34% of the Bulgarian respondents believe the postponement of the country's accession to Schengen is justified, despite the achieved compliance with the technical criteria.

"This is precisely what the Dutch Cabinet said last week - that it would impose a veto on Bulgaria's potential entry in the Schengen Area due to its failure to handle corruption", Vaksberg argues.

"Dealing with corruption and organized crime have never been officially stated as conditions in a universal regulatory document. Bulgaria's delayed Schengen entry, therefore, is open to easy criticism, and can be used as an alibi in a society which wants to be treated on an equal footing with the others', the journalist adds.

According to Vaksberg, this is not the case in Bulgaria, which can have multiple interpretations, it being certain that a substantial part of Bulgarians find Schengen accession and the observance of universal regulations is not more important than intercepting corruption and organized crime.

What also remains beyond doubt, in her opinion, is that any lever of influence on those in power to such effect would be welcome.

"The Bulgarian government does not think so, while the judiciary is past thinking on the matter. As the country stays out of Schengen, a judicial organ with strings pulled by an Interior Minister appoints a Sofia City Court Chair entangled in conflicts and of questionable competence, with those in power maintaining that the case bears no impact on the country's Schengen bid. They also believe that the array of returned indictments is similarly unrelated", Vaksberg explains.

In her words, by threatening to veto Bulgaria's entry into the EU border-free Schengen area, the Netherlands shows a responsibility not only for the Eu, but for Bulgarians' interests.

"After all, it is a bigger concern for Bulgarians to know that crime is punishable in court and that corruption is at least slightly detectable. Blocking the country's Schengen membership is one of the possible ways to force the authorities to step up their commitment to the issue", the journalist states.

According to her, the poll also shows that Bulgarians have a stable high level of confidence in European institutions, given that as many as 54% of the polled attribute the country's status as unwanted in Schengen to its failure in coping with organized crime and corruption.

"A large part of Bulgarians assume that when a European institution gives an explanation for a decision it has taken, it does not lie or cheat or pursue ulterior motives. This is a level of confidence which Bulgarian institutions can only dream of", Vaksberg concludes.

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