Dutch far-right asylum minister will not block Bulgaria, Romania from joining Schengen

The Netherlands remains in favor of lifting European border controls with Bulgaria and Romania. Asylum and Migration Minister Marjolein Faber, the Cabinet member responsible for this policy, is ignoring a last attempt from her own party, the PVV, to block these plans. The far-right faction is the largest party in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Parliament.

Faber also does not like the fact that Bulgaria and Romania are joining the Schengen Area. “I admit that,” she said. But also said that she is accepting the Cabinet’s decision.

For years, the Netherlands stood in the way of the two countries becoming part of the Schengen Area. They were joined in this by countries like Austria. But the previous Cabinet, who were in caretaker status at the time, changed their opinion on this last year.

They felt that Bulgaria would help better protect Europe's borders along Turkey. They also believed that Bulgaria would combat corruption and would do a good job at safeguarding the rule of law.

Austria stipulated that controls at the country's borders should remain in place, but also withdrew the latter resistance last month. All vetoes against both countries, which had been agreed to join the Schengen Area together, have thus been removed.

The PVV is still against the expansion of the Schengen Area to include Bulgaria and Romania, and Wednesday called on their minister to use her veto anyway. But Faber refused to do so, and the PVV did not muster enough support to force the matter in parliament. Only one coalition partner, the BBB, agreed with the PVV motion, along with far-left SP and the smaller right-wing parties.

The PVV minister and the Cabinet were not bound by agreements made by the coalition parties on this matter, so they could have gone against each other. But "you always work with majorities," said Faber.

The PVV said that the Bulgarian border, the external border of the European Union, is "as leaky as a basket.” But Faber said that everything is being done to keep the borders secure. She added that she could not say whether the failed blocked attempt from the PVV was a political stunt.