Brussels, 07/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - The prospect of Romania and Bulgaria joining the Schengen Area at the end of March 2011 seems less and less likely. According to AFP, the first expert report on the two countries' border controls is “negative”, Bulgaria in particular being unable to control its border with Turkey. This failing is reported to justify the EU27 in deciding not to let Bulgaria, and therefore also Romania, join the Schengen Area. On Friday, neither the Hungarian Presidency nor the EU Council of Ministers would confirm the news but some sources claim it is clear that the two countries will not be joining the Schengen Area in March. The same sources commented that France and Germany are not the only countries that believe it is too soon for Bulgaria and Romania to join Schengen, adding that at least a dozen countries are of this opinion.
Yesterday, Hungary repeated its aim of ensuring the two countries join Schengen during its presidency (in other words in the first half of 2011). At his meeting in Budapest with the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orban, said that Romania and Bulgaria joining Schengen remained a priority and Hungary wants to get a clear position from the EU27 by the end of June.
A diplomat commented that it was the Hungarian Presidency's job to set the agenda for the JHA Council meeting of 24 and 25 February, asking how such an issue could be added to the agenda when half the member states do not want the two to join Schengen in March. At the JHA ministers' meeting in Budapest at the end of January 2011, talks may possibly focus on the mechanics of postponing membership of Schengen without necessarily giving a new timeframe, counted the same diplomat, saying that attention could focus on the criteria to be met.
There is no denying that this is a blow for Romania and its president, Traian Basescu, who is busy trying to calm tension generated earlier this week by the Romanian foreign affairs minister, Teodor Baconschi. Traian Basescu said that Romania is not planning to block Croatia's membership and is not planning to withdraw from the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM), but this does not seem to have done the trick. (Cor./transl.fl)