Germany: Romania, Bulgaria not ready for Schengen zone

Jan 20, 2011, 15:15 GMT

Godollo, Hungary - Romania and Bulgaria are not yet ready to join the open-border Schengen zone, Germany Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said Thursday at an informal meeting with his European Union counterparts in Hungary.

Germany recognized the efforts made by the two Balkan states to meet the requirements for membership, de Maiziere was quoted as saying by the state news agency MTI.

However, further progress would be needed to combat corruption and bring their justice systems up to scratch, de Maiziere said, noting that the aspiring countries must be not only 'technically' but also 'politically' ready to join the customs-free zone.

Citizens of the 25 countries in the Schengen zone, whose eastern frontier runs from Russia to the Balkans, can move freely without border controls.

In a joint letter to the European Commission in December, Germany and France both registered their opposition to the removal of border controls between the EU and its newest and easternmost member states.

Hungary, which currently holds the EU's six-month rotating presidency, has expressed its support for Romania and Bulgaria's joining the border-free Schengen zone in March.

Hungarian Interior Minister Sandor Pinter told reporters in Budapest the previous day that Romania - which is home to some 1.5 million ethnic Hungarians - was closer to meeting Schengen criteria than Bulgaria, but he ruled out the possibility of their joining separately.

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