Decisive breakthrough: The Netherlands’s government gives green light to Bulgaria's Schengen accession

The caretaker government of the Netherlands has givena green light for Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen passport-free travel area, The news came from the Prime Ministers of the two countries Nikolai Denkov and Mark Rutte after the EU leaders' summit in Brussels on December 15. The government of the Netherlands has sent a letter with its decision to the country's Parliament.

The government's decision does not have to be put to a vote in Parliament, but it can veto it if it decides. Mark Rutte's caretaker government is obliged to inform Parliament of every decision it takes. Everyone hopes that there will be no veto on the government's decision on Bulgaria’s Schengen accession.

In its letter to the Parliament, the Dutch government recalls the results of the latest mission to Bulgaria and says it found no shortcomings.

According to the Rutte cabinet, the government in Bulgaria has implemented reforms in the area of the rule of law. The conclusion is therefore that Bulgaria meets the requirements for joining the Schengen area.

"What we are seeing at the Bulgarian-Turkish border is a serious improvement, and there is also progress in the country in terms of fighting corruption. The situation is not perfect, but it has improved significantly. Therefore, the Netherlands must be honest and admit that there has been progress. For years, we have been stopping the accession of both countries (Bulgaria and Romania). Last year, we gave a positive assessment for Romania, now we have to be honest and take this step for Bulgaria as well," said Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

"What you have heard is important to be heard in Bulgaria. Yes, we expect positive news from the Netherlands. Today there was a meeting of the Council of Ministers. The decision will be submitted to the Dutch Parliament. Of course, the final decision lifting the veto has to come from the Dutch Parliament and this will happen next week if everything goes as planned," Nikolai Denkov said.

"In recent months, we have a lot to make this possible - the laws adopted in the National Assembly, the work on lifting the monitoring mechanism for Bulgaria, which is related to the rule of law, the positive results of the mission that came in November to Sofia with the participation of the Netherlands and Austria. All these were positive signs and this led to the fact that we are waiting for a positive decision from the Netherlands," Denkov explained.

The Prime Minister commented that talks with the Rutte government have been ongoing for months. Negotiations with Austria are also ongoing. Our country's hopes are that the positive decision of The Hague will also affect the negotiations with Vienna. Austria and Bulgaria are trying to agree on land borders, with Bulgaria insisting on a specific date.

"We are currently exchanging possible texts on what a decision should look like. But as you know, until everything is decided, nothing is agreed, everything is preliminary," the Prime Minister explained.

According to him, it is the decision on land borders that is a sensitive topic for Austria. That is why a formulation that is acceptable to both sides is currently being sought.

Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev thanked Mark Rutte on the social network Ex (Twitter) saying:

"Thank you Mr Prime Minister for keeping your promise on Schengen."

Kiril Petkov of "We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" also thanked and said that by their actions the government and the Parliament had restored the trust in our country that The Hague had lost.