The Netherlands has finally removed all obstacles to Bulgaria's full entry into Schengen following a debate in parliament last night. A proposal was made that our country be admitted to Schengen only by air, as Austria also wants. It gathered 59 votes "for" to 49 "against". Although the supporters of our partial entry prevailed, the proposal was rejected because it did not gather the necessary absolute majority of 76 votes.
A week ago, the government of Prime Minister Mark Rutte decided that Bulgaria fulfills all the requirements for entering Schengen and sent a letter to the parliament. The deputies had three options - to support the decision, reject it or not consider it, which means full agreement with the cabinet's actions, BNR reported.
During the debate, however, a resolution was introduced by the New Social Contract party, which was created only in the summer - the fourth force in the Netherlands at the moment. She supported Austria's position that our country should be admitted to Schengen gradually and first only by air.
However, the proposal did not receive enough votes. Surprisingly, Mark Rutte's People's Party for Freedom and Democracy voted yes. Even more surprisingly, however, the far-right Party for Freedom, which won the most votes in the parliamentary elections a month ago, did not vote. If its MPs were in favor, the Netherlands' position would be for Bulgaria to enter Schengen by air. The proposal would have received 86 votes against the required 76.
Thus, Austria remains the only obstacle to the full entry of Bulgaria and Romania into Schengen. /BGNES
