MEP appeals to Europe to stand up to populism

Simon Busuttil calls Dutch-Finnish vetoes on Schengen accession for Bulgaria and Romania "unfair".

13 October 2011, 12:00am

1 min read

Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil intervened during a debate on the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to Schengen zone yesterday, to stand up against populism after the failure by the Council of Ministers to ratify the decision to give the green light for Bulgaria and Romania to join Schengen.

Busuttil described the situation as deeply disappointing, as he took the floor after Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom. Busuttil attributed this delay primarily to the opposition of two member states governments - the Netherlands and Finland - that wield a veto on this decision to appear popular with their voters.

“Both these countries have a strong European tradition and respect of fairness and the rule of law.” he said. “As it happens the governments of both these countries rely on the support of populist parties. I would not like to think that the reason for this blockage is that these governments are held hostage to populism because this would be very worrying.”

“We need to stand up to populism”, he remarked.

Simon Busuttil reminded the chamber that it already made its position clear, being that Bulgaria and Romania should be allowed to join Schengen once they fulfil the entry conditions. “We do this out of a basic sense of fairness and respect of the rule of law.” he said. “Not doing so, would be to move the goalposts after the game has started. And that would not be fair.

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For once I agree with Simon Busutill and congratulate him on his stand. . It looks like the EU is classifying countries in those priviliged and those who are not.

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Like Simon Busuttil, I very much welcome Bulgaria and Romania to Schengen membership, and hope that it will be completed as soon as possible, as long as the problem areas are addressed and the necessary reforms are made. Although Bulgaria and Romania have been found to be in line and they therefore meet the actual Schengen evaluation of technical criteria, there are a number of shortcomings. The fight against corruption, crime, and the development of the rule of law just to name a few. This is reflecting badly on the status of minority groups and functioning of the judiciary. This is a similar to the protection of the euro. Eurozone countries bear a huge responsibility now just because a number of Member States bended the rules. Now we see the consequences of reckless borrowing and we do not know how deep and prolonged debt crisis our countries will face. So I hope that the freedom of movement and of the Schengen rules are taken as seriously as the rules on the euro. Only then will Bulgaria and Romania be able to join.

Alex Grech •

nation states should have the full rights to control their own borders. no mep should even dare oppose that right! Schengen, just like the Euro will soon go down in the dustbin of history!