EP to Vote on 2nd Resolution Backing Bulgaria, Romania Schengen Bids

The European Parliament will vote Thursday on a second resolution in support of Bulgaria and Romania's accession to the Schengen area. Photo by BGNES

The European Parliament (EP) will vote Thursday on a second resolution in support of Bulgaria and Romania's bids to join Europe's Schengen zone.

The vote will be held at the imitative of MEPs from the three largest political groups, the European People's Party (EPP), the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE).

Wednesday's debates on the resolution dragged on for close to two hours, the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency (BTA) reported.

Opinions were voiced that the refusal to approve the two countries' Schengen bids despite their compliance with all of the criteria was indicative of double standards, of divisive tendencies in Europe and of populism.

A representative of the Polish EU Presidency said Wednesday that the compromise proposal for a gradual accession of the two countries to Schengen, with air and water borders opening first, followed by land borders, had failed to summon the necessary support from the Justice and Home Affairs Council but had nevertheless persuaded France and Germany, the first opponents to Schengen enlargement, to vote in favor of Sofia and Bucharest.

The Polish Presidency representative further noted that Schengen expansion was on the list of priorities and the goal was to reach a decision in a short yet reasonable timeframe.

EU Internal Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom voiced support for the Polish Presidency's goal-oriented efforts and remarked that there was hardly a corruption-free EU member state.

She also reminded of the proposal tabled earlier this year to draw up annual reports on levels of corruption in all EU countries.

Malmstrom insisted that it was time to make a decision on the two countries' Schengen bids, given that the membership requirements had been set in 2005 and could not be amended.

On 8 June 2011, the European Parliament gave a green light for Bulgaria and Romania's accession to the Schengen area with a large majority: 487 votes in favor, 77 against and 29 abstentions.

At a September meeting of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council, however, the Netherlands and Finland vetoed Bulgaria and Romania's accession to Europe's visa-free Schengen zone, citing the two candidate countries' problems with tackling corruption and organized crime.

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