The Schengen area has expanded. From January, entry to Croatia without checks. Two other countries vetoed it

The decision to extend the zone from January was taken by the interior ministers of the 27 EU countries on Thursday, December 8, at a meeting in Brussels.

It means that from the new year it will be possible to enter Croatia from the current Schengen area with raised border barriers. From January Zagreb will also adopt a single currency – the euro.

There is no agreement to admit Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen area

At the same time, there is no consent of the European Union countries to admit Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen area. – I want to say to the citizens of Bulgaria and Romania that you too deserve to join the Schengen area. I am disappointed and sad, said EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson, stressing that both Bulgaria and Romania met all the conditions.

The accession of these two countries to the zone was vetoed by Austria, and in the case of Bulgaria also by the Netherlands. According to Vienna, Romania and Bulgaria are unable to cope with immigrants on the so-called the Balkan route. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said that there are currently 75,000 in the country. unregistered migrants who crossed the external borders of the EU and reached Austria. “This problem needs to be solved first,” he said.

So why did Vienna agree to admit Croatia? This question was answered by an EU official. “This, in turn, proves that internal political games in Austria around migration play a bigger role than statistics,” he explained. “Blocking Croatians who are entering the euro zone would be a risky paradox, because movement without border controls is also of great economic importance, which is important for the monetary union,” we read.

The Dutch authorities expressed other concerns – regarding the rule of law. The government of Marek Rutte is to “encourage the Bulgarian authorities to continue reforms and strengthen the rule of law, fight corruption and organized crime.” “Efficient cooperation between courts and law enforcement authorities is, as the Dutch emphasize, indispensable for the proper functioning of the Schengen area,” continues DW.