Germany Still Against Romania, Bulgaria In Schengen – Press

"At present, Sofia and Bucharest are still not ready to join the Schengen Agreement," the site quoted German Internal Affairs Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich as saying.

"We are not enthusiastic and taking into account the rather negative reports on the two countries, we still doubt the purposefulness of such a step," said German Ministry of Interior representative Jens Teschke.

According to Teschke, minister Friedrich intends to further discuss the matter with his counterparts from France and the Netherlands, two EU members who have also been especially vocal against Bulgaria and Romania's joining the border-free Schengen area.

Romania and Bulgaria were set to join Schengen in the spring of 2011, but accession was indefinitely delayed following opposition by Germany, France, the Netherlands and others. Renewed considerations are expected to take place in the fall.

The arguments against referred not to the two countries degree of fulfillment of Schengen technical requirements, but rather to worries related to the level of corruption and organized crime, which officially are not connected to Schengen membership.

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