Netherlands PM Mark Rutte says Bulgaria could take steps forward

In a comment on Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen area, made at the EU-Western Balkans summit in Tirana, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte stated that Bulgaria could take steps forward next year.

It is not yet done for Bulgaria, but more time will be needed for two reasons: a new assessment of the Schengen Verification Mechanism and the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism. I spoke with President Rumen Radev and I'm optimistic that next year we can take steps forward, Mark Rutte said.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer stated that Austria is against the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen area. In Austria, there are 75,000 illegal immigrants who are not registered. They have crossed the external border of the EU and ended up in a landlocked country like Austria. Karl Nehammer said we have to answer these security questions first.