Bulgaria and Romania, on the other hand, will remain outside this space, since they have not achieved the necessary unanimity among the EU Interior Ministers to form part of this area of free movement of people.
Euskaraz irakurri: Schengen Eremua Kroaziara ere helduko da urtarrilaren 1etik aurrera
The interior ministers of the European Union (EU) have given this Thursday green light for the extension of the Schengen zone to Croatia as of next January 1, while Bulgaria and Romania, on the other hand, will remain outside this spacesince they have not achieved the necessary unanimity to be part of that area of free movement of people.
In an appearance before the press, Vít Rakusan, Minister of the Interior of the Czech Republic, which is the country that holds the presidency of the EU this semester, has conveyed his “enormous congratulations to Croatia, a new member of Schengen”, whose incorporation is a “useful message for all European citizens”.
“From my point of view, Bulgaria and Romania are ready to be members of Schengen and I thank these two countries for the work they have done in the last year. I am convinced that their time will come soon”, added Rakusan, who has shown himself exultant, despite everything, since achieving enlargement was one of the “highest” priorities that the Czech presidency set for itself in its semester at the helm of the European Union.
Blockade of Austria and the Netherlands
The Commissioner for the Interior, the Swedish Ylva Johansson, whose country inherits the responsibility of bringing enlargement to a successful conclusion also to Bulgaria and Romania, did not hide her “disappointment” at the blockade of these countries by Austria and the Netherlandswhich vetoed only the first.
The “few doubts” that remain about the entry of Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen area, by Austria and the Netherlands, are “political”, the community vice president, Margaritis Schinas, had stated this morning upon arrival at the meeting: “We are stronger, not weaker, through the Schengen extension, which means more and better controls, not less, so I hope common sense and an open mind prevail, and we can make the decision, if not today, in a few days,” Schinas said.
Austria had reiterated its determination to veto the entry of Romania and Bulgaria into that area of free movement of people and goods, given the increase in immigration this year. The Netherlands had also expressed its refusal to admit Bulgaria into the Schengen area, which is currently made up of 22 EU countries (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, Croatia and Romania are left out) and four from outside the EU (Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland).
Source: Eitb
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