Germany: Romania, Bulgaria not ready for Schengen zone (Roundup)

Jan 20, 2011, 17:50 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 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.

Romania and Bulgaria had hoped to join the area in March, but as this would require the agreement of all member states, Germany is in a position to effectively veto their admission.

The EU's home affairs commissioner, Cecilia Malmstrom, said the day's discussions had focused on border management 'in general,' but acknowledged that the admission of the two Balkan states appeared to be some way off.

'We hope we can work with the Hungarian (European Union) presidency to find a solution to this,' Malmstrom said.

Meanwhile, a Brussels-based diplomat said a report from an expert mission had revealed 'some technical problems still to be resolved, especially in Bulgaria.'

EU states are likely to decide before the end of January to send another mission to both countries to check on the shortcomings, the source told the German Press Agency dpa.

If that decision is taken, 'it is very difficult to imagine that the (March) deadline originally foreseen will be respected,' he added.

Although Romania's bid for Schengen was judged to be less problematic, the diplomat said its separate entry would pose too many challenges, as security on its frontier with Bulgaria would have to be stepped up.

The next time Bulgaria and Romania would be eligible to join Schengen would be in October, the source indicated.

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 eastern-most member states.

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

Hungarian Interior Minister Sandor Pinter told reporters in Budapest on Wednesday 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.

Read more about EU Politics

Read more about Schengen