Dutch Minister Optimistic on Bulgaria's Schengen Entry

Dutch Minister for Immigration and Asylum Policy, Gerd Leers, is pictured attending a parliamentary debate in The Hague, Netherlands. Photo by EPA/BGNES

Dutch Immigration Minister Gert Leers has expressed his optimism regarding Bulgaria's Schengen accession.

"I am optimistic about Bulgaria's Schengen entry, since the country has good achievements. Measures have been undertaken on applying the law and combating organized crime," Leers has said after meeting Bulgarian Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov.

Tsvetanov and Leers signed an agreement on cooperation in border control.

Most Dutch MPs believe that that Bulgaria has to meet the Co-operation and Verification Mechanism criteria in order to be ready to join Europe's border-free zone, according to Leers.

"We must be sure that the fight against corruption and organized crime is effective and sustainable. This is why accession to Schengen is possible only after the CVM criteria are met," he said, as cited by New Europe.

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

In February, the interim Co-operation and Verification mechanism report registered Romania's progress in combating organized crime and corruption, but demanded stronger action from Bulgaria.

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