Csaba Sógor: expanding Schengen area cannot be delayed anymore
Romania and Bulgaria are ready to join the Schengen area. The citizens of the two countries have been waiting for years now to get a positive decision from the member state ministers responsible for internal affairs, pointed out Csaba Sógor in the European Parliament on Wednesday, during the debate about expanding Schengen to Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia.
Csaba Sógor thinks that expanding Schengen area cannot be delayed anymore, as the Commission already stated a long time ago that the countries are ready for accession. The MEP from Transylvania considers that the EU monitoring of the justice system of Romania and Bulgaria has nothing to do with joining Schengen and that connecting the two processes is against the EU treaties. In the MEP’s opinion the Commission should consider extending the EU justice monitoring mechanism to every member state, because governments are more willing to accept supervision if it takes place in a framework covering all EU Member States.
“The creation of the Schengen area has increased greatly the free movement of persons within the EU and can be considered one of the biggest achievements of the European integration process. We do hope that expanding and strengthening Schengen will take place as soon as possible, so that all EU citizens can exercise their right to free movement without border controls”, explained the MEP.
