Schengen Hopefuls Bulgaria, Romania Hold Breath until Sept

A Bulgarian border policeman monitors screens as European home affairs Commissioner, Cecilia Malmstrom looks on during her visit to the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing point between Bulgaria and Turkey, 11 February 2011. Photo by EPA/BGNES

Brussels will take its decision on Bulgaria and Romania's bids to enter the Schengen agreement in September, it was confirmed on Thursday.

"I hope that in September Brussels will approve a two-phase approach for Bulgaria's and Romania's accession to the European Union's borderless Schengen area," Bulgaria's Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov announced in Brussels on Thursday after the meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council.

Last month's Cooperation and Verification mechanism report registered Romania's progress in combating organized crime and corruption, but demanded stronger action from Bulgaria.

At the beginning of March Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte reiterated that his government is not against the two countries joining the free zone, but wants absolute guarantees they will be applying the Schengen criteria.

He explained that The Hague wants to see positive reports of the European Commission under the Verification and Monitoring Mechanism as evidence and a fact Bulgaria and Romania are doing everything necessary.

The two EU newcomers were expected to enter Schengen in the spring of 2011, but their entry was blocked by countries such as France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland, who had worries that problems with organized crime and corruption might jeopardize safety in the Schengen Area.

Both Bulgaria and Romania have been placed under the so-called EU Cooperation and Verification Mechanism in justice and home affairs, in view of perceived problems in the management of corruption and organized crime.

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