site.btaDuring Hague Visit, MEP Kyuchyuk Calls for Scrapping Veto on Bulgaria's Schengen Accession

During a visit to the Netherlands, MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk conferred with the leaders of the liberal parties in the country, his office reported on Tuesday. He called for scrapping the Netherland's veto on Bulgaria's admission to the Schengen area.

Kyuchyuk met with Democrats 66 Leader Rob Jetten and is also scheduled to meet with People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Leader Dilan Yesilgoz. 

"We expect the Hague to lift the veto by the end of the year because Bulgaria meets all the criteria and does not deserve this exclusion. Bulgaria has fulfilled all the formal conditions for Schengen entry," the MEP said, adding that this country is introducing reforms concerning constitutional changes and the rule of law "even though this has never been a binding criterion". "Bulgaria is extremely important for the protection of the EU's external borders. The country has good border management systems and actively cooperates with European agencies and its neighbouring countries in terms of information exchange and operational work," Kyuchyuk noted.

On December 4, Kyuchyuk held a protest in Vienna urging Austria and the Netherlands to reconsider their position against the enlargement of Schengen.