Netherlands remains against Schengen accession of Bulgaria and Romania

The Netherlands remains strongly opposed to the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the visa-free Schengen zone at this stage, Dutch interior ministry spokesperson Alexander Vanderee told Bulgarian National Radio on November 15 2011.

According to Vanderee, the two countries are yet to display irreversible and very clear results in the fight against organised crime and corruption.

“The Dutch government has always claimed that positive and irreversible results in the fight against corruption and organised crime are very, very important,” he said.

He insisted that member states should have mutual trust, especially when it comes to the supremacy of law.

“As reports of the European Commission this summer were not very positive, there is broad consensus in the Dutch parliament, including non-ruling parties, that at this stage we cannot support Bulgaria and Romania’s accession to Schengen,” Vanderee said.