France: Bulgaria, Romania Still Not Ready for Schengen Entry
France is refusing to start quarrels, weakening Europe's capacity to control its migration flows, the French European Affairs Minister, Laurent Wauquiez, said, pointing out that Bulgaria and Romania are not ready to enter the Schengen zone.
During debates in the French National Assembly, focused on problems in Europe, Wauquiez has stated that France's position has been clear - Romania and Bulgaria do not stand in front of a closed door, but they need to meet the simple criteria.
Wauquiez has explained that border safety was one of the main criteria for Schengen entry. He added that Romania does not recognize its borders with Moldova, even though many people are passing through them.
In his words, this is the problem that prevents Bulgaria and Romania from entering the Schengen zone. Wauquiez also pointed out that the work that has been done against corruption is also not satisfactory.
His statement was confirming the position of his predecessor Pierre Lellouche and France's intention to block the accession of Bulgaria and Romania, the latest EU entrants, to the borderless Schengen Area.
The country hopes to join the EU's border-free zone by the end of 2011 as scheduled and the official line is that recent expulsions of mostly Romanian and Bulgarian Roma from France is irrelevant to that process.