Dutch Immigration Minister: The Netherlands will block Romania and Bulgaria’s Schengen entry
The European Commission’s fifth report under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism released on July, 2011, showed that Romania made some progress in the fight against corruption since the last annual report issued in July 2010, but more significant steps have to be taken for better results. Read the full report about Romania (PDF version) here.
Bulgaria’s Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov said earlier this month that the decision on Romania and Bulgaria’s accession to Schengen area will be taken on September 22, according to Novinite.com. He also thinks that the two countries may join the border-free zone in July 2012.
The Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc also said recently that Romania’s Government hopes the country will join the Schengen area next year, depending on European-level decision.
Romania and Bulgaria were expected to join the Schengen area in the spring of 2011, but several European countries have opposed it, saying the country still needs to fulfill some criteria.
Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com
(photo source: Sxc.hu)