Dijsselbloem open to mini-Schengen zone to deal with asylum influx

Forming a mini-Schengen zone with Germany, Sweden, Austria and Belgium to deal with the influx of asylum seekers is an option to consider, according to Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem in the Financieele Dagblad.

According to Dijsselbloem, mutual trust and good cooperation in Europe is necessary to prevent the formation of a mini-Schengen zone, BNR reports. Something that is not currently present, the minister believes. He feels that countries in Eastern Europe are not doing their part to take in refugees. And countries on Europe's external borders, like Italy and Greece, are failing to regulate the proper registration of asylum seekers.

"I'm not optimistic", Dijsselbloem said about his opinion on whether a mini-Schengen zone can be avoided. "We should invest in refugee camps and border security together. If that does not work, countries have to take their own measures to protect their community. It has come to this in Europe and it pains me to say that."

According to FD correspondent Rik Winkel, who spoke to the Finance Minister in Brussels, Dijsselbloem's list of countries that should form part of the mini-Schengen zone is not all that logical. "He mentions Sweden, Austria, Belgium and Germany. Sweden is remarkable because Denmark is between it. That is not entirely logical, and from that i conclude that it is intended as a threat at this stage."