Brussels, 08/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - With the home affairs ministers set to discuss the fate of Bulgaria and Romania's accession to the Schengen area in Luxembourg this Thursday 9 June, the MEPs made their position crystal clear, in Strasbourg on Wednesday, in favour of their joining, by adopting the report by Carlos Coehlo (EPP, Portugal) by 487 votes in favour, 77 against and 29 abstentions. On the basis of technical assessment reports (on the control planks of land, maritime and air borders, issuing visas, police cooperation, Schengen information system and data protection), the MEPs took the view that all of the conditions laid down have been met by Bucharest and Sofia and even though additional measures are required, particularly as regards the management of the Bulgaria-Turkey-Greece area to cope with any migratory pressure which may arise, this cannot prevent the two countries from joining the Schengen area, the EP rules.
“We are able to welcome Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen zone and I hope that the Council will adopt the same position once it has our positive opinion in hand. (...) The citizens of these countries must be considered as being full European citizens, and should not be hostages to populist discourse”, said rapporteur Carlos Coelho (EPP, Portugal).
In his opinion, the rapporteur acknowledged that illegal immigration has made Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece one of the most sensitive external borders of the EU and that Bulgaria must take additional measures to deal with this, “including a special action plan to be implemented when it joins the Schengen zone”, states a press release, and “agree on a joint approach with Greece and Turkey, to deal with a possible increase in migratory pressure”. The countries in question must keep the EP up to date with their progress, no more than six months after the date on which the decision to allow Sofia and Bucharest to join Schengen enters into force, state the MEPs. (S.P./transl.fl)