Romania, Bulgaria rejected from Schengen entry

Romania and Bulgaria have once again failed to gain Schengen entry, due to the rejection of their candidacy by some EU states, Romanian news portal Romania-Insider reported, on Dec. 6.

“It was yet another failed try this week at the Justice and Internal Affairs JAI Council for Romania and Bulgaria in their bids to be accepted into the Schengen area,” Romania-Insider wrote. “The two countries still face opposition from some EU countries, which makes it impossible for the council to accept the two new entrants as all Schengen members must be unanimous in the decision.”

Romania and Bulgaria issued a joint statement saying that they have fulfilled all the Schengen criteria and are ready to become part of its community.

Germany is among  those countries which oppose Bulgaria and Romania’s Schengen entry. The German interior minister, Hans-Peter Friedrich, has been quoted as saying that despite having made some progress with regards to fulfilling the legal criteria requited to enter Schengen, the two countries are not ready.

France is reportedly the other European country which opposes Schengen entry for Romania and Bulgaria. According to the international press, France fears the migration of the Roma minority to French cities and has voiced its doubts as to whether the two countries are able to stem the illegal entry of non-Europeans into their borders.

The Schengen zone covers 26  European countries. Citizens of member states are free to travel within the zone without passports or visas. The only countries that are still not part of the zone are Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Croatia. The U.K. and Ireland have opted not to join Schengen.