Swoboda Slams Germany over Threat to Block Bulgarian, Romanian Schengen Bid

Hannes Swoboda, President of the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group in the European Parliament, has described as "populist and deceitful" Germany's threat to veto Bulgaria and Romania's Schengen accession.

According to EurActiv, Swoboda has insisted that progress has been assessed in both countries and EU ministers should now abide by their own rules and finally grant Bulgaria and Romania full Schengen membership.

"The threat of a German veto is populist and deceitful," Swoboda declared in a statement published on the website of the S&D group.

"It seems like the German government wants to divide EU countries into 'first class' and 'second class' member states. The S&D Group defends the principle of equality and demands full access to the Schengen area for all EU citizens. We urge the EU interior ministers to act responsibly and open the way to Schengen membership for Romania and Bulgaria."

Swoboda's statement follows declarations by German interior minister Hans-Peter Friedrich, who said his country would veto Romania and Bulgaria's Schengen accession.

In an interview for the Spiegel magazine, Friedrich warned Germany is going to veto Bulgaria's and Romania's Schengen accession as German citizens would support the enlargement of Schengen only upon fulfillment of certain conditions.

Until now the two countries were denied Schengen membership on several occasions mainly over the opposition of the Netherlands on grounds even though they have fulfilled the technical requirements, they cannot secure their borders over lack of progress in the fight against corruption and crime.

The Netherlands says it wants to see two consecutive positive European Commission reports on them under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism.

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