The Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds (CEAOEF) and the Foreign Policy and Defense Committee (FPDC) held a meeting with the EP rapporteur on the preparation of the entry of Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen area Mr. Carlos Coelho and the MEPs Ms. Maria Nedelcheva and Mr. Ioan Enciu. Mr. Dimitar Georgiev, Deputy Minister of Interior, also participated in the meeting, which was part of the Parliamentary Foreign-political Activities Program In Support Of the Bulgarian Accession to Schengen.
The Chairwoman of CEAOEF Ms. Monika Panayotova greeted the guests and underlined that our country’s accession to Schengen is not a privilege but a responsibility. She pointed out that every single euro invested in the Schengen Facility has been subject to a double democratic control – by both the national parliament and the civil society. Ms. Panayotova also focused on the Common Declaration of the Foreign Affairs Committees of the Parliament of Romania and the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria on the accession to the Schengen area, signed on February 16, 2011. She demanded that no double standard be used when considering the readiness of Bulgaria and Romania to join Schengen.
The Deputy Minister of Interior Mr. Dimitar Georgiev explained that Mr. Coelho’s visit agenda includes visits to Sofia, Kapitan Andreevo, Burgas & Varna in order for the rapporteur to get a detailed personal impression and all the information on the fulfillment of the Schengen accession criteria: the reliability of the Schengen Information System in Bulgaria and functioning of its national component, staff training, etc.
The Chairman of FPDC Mr. Dobroslav Dimitrov highlighted the following 3 key moments: First, we realize the necessity to be technically ready to bear responsibility for the Bulgarian borders and the EU external border and that will certainly happen very soon. Second, by no means should our country be evaluated in a different way or be subject to additional requirements. That would set a dangerous precedent at EU level. Third, the Schengen accession unites all Bulgarian institutions is supported by all political parties which is a rare event.
Mr. Coelho stated that the meeting demonstrates the improving cooperation between the European Parliament and the national parliaments and expressed his hope that it will lead to significant future results. The EP rapporteur focused on the two aspects of the Schengen accession: the technical and the political one. Regarding the technical progress of Bulgaria, Mr. Coelho explained that he has discussed it with all the international experts involved in the Schengen evaluation of the country and they have been really impressed with the results. According to their professional opinion, Bulgaria has reached a very high European level of technical readiness to protect its borders. Mr. Coelho sees his current visit as an opportunity to personally monitor the progress of work. As for the minor details remaining to complete the process, he believes that it is a matter of weeks for them to be sorted out.
In relation to the political aspect of the Schengen accession question, Mr. Coelho highlighted that the EU is based on loyal cooperation and the rules have to be the same for everyone. After the Lisbon Treaty the European Parliament plays an increasingly bigger role in the decision making at EU level and the Council’s strive for superiority and confrontation is not fair. The EP has informed the Council of its position and does not wish to excuse a possible delay on the Schengen decision. That’s why Mr. Coelho has set May 2, 2011 as a deadline to present his reports in front of the LIBE Committee and the European Parliament.
The Romanian MEP of the Socialists and Democrats Group Mr. Ioan Enciu supported the statements made by his colleague and explained that he participates in the delegation as a shadow rapporteur on Schengen.
Maria Nedelcheva, a MEP of the European People’s Party group, remarked that the unity of all political parties in Bulgaria on the accession of the country to the Schengen area corresponds with the unity of the Bulgarian delegation in Brussels. The message which our MEPs send is that the Schengen accession decision should be based entirely on objective criteria.
The MPs from CEAOEF & FPDC took active part in the discussion. They focused on the important aspects of Bulgaria’s Schengen accession. Among them were: the significance of our geographic location in regard to the potential pressure on EU’s external borders and the need of unity in such a critical moment rather than being excessively strict to Bulgaria. The MPs shared the opinion that using a “double standard” in the Schengen accession decision would only create disappointment and distrust. Mr. Asen Agov of the Blue Coalition expressed his concern about the complicated situation in North Africa and the Middle East and the threat of immigration wave to the EU. Ms. Meglena Plugchieva of the Socialist Party added that the persistent efforts and stable work of our country on its Schengen accession since 2007 do not deserve a negative attitude in principle. Instead, if some of our EU partners see problem areas, they need to specify them in order for the problems to be solved in a timely manner.
In conclusion, Ms. Panayotova underlined that the Parliamentary Foreign-political Activities Program In Support Of the Bulgarian Accession to Schengen includes a Bulgarian parliamentary delegation’s visit to Brussels, where the discussion on the Schengen accession question shall continue. In this sense, today’s meeting is open-ended.