site.btaMRF Leader Karadayi Confers with Dutch PM Rutte

Sofia, December 3 (BTA) - Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) leader Mustafa Karadayi has conferred on Saturday with Dutch Prime Minister and leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (PPFD) Mark Rutte. The two discussed topics of importance to Bulgaria and Europe, including the process of this country's Schengen accession and the negative consequences for Bulgaria stemming from the nationalists' Government participation, MRF said in a press release.

Karadayi told Rutte that, since 2011 Bulgaria's readiness to join Schengen has been positively assessed by both the European Parliament and the European Commission. Bulgaria is completely ready and it remains only for the Council to take action towards finalizing the process, the MRF leader said.

Rutte in turn noted that, unfortunately, Bulgaria still fails to show convincing and long-lasting progress regarding the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism.

The discussions also focused on the upcoming Bulgarian EU Presidency and the participation of nationalists in the Bulgarian Government, which contradicts the fundamental European values, the press release said.

The Dutch liberals from PPFD and their leader Rutte, who also serves as his country's Prime Minister, are hosting the 38th Congress of the 38th ALDE Party Congress in Amsterdam December 1-3.