From 1 January the Netherlands assumed the Presidency of the European Union. On this occasion, a discussion was organized this week by the Dutch Ambassador in Bulgaria Thomas van Oorshot. At this discussion it became clear that the Mechanism for cooperation and verification will continue until Bulgaria meets all requirements.

"The next report will be released at the end of January, more precisely January 27. We need to see what will be said. It will incorporate the developments of the last year," said His Excellency during the discussion and recalled that for eight years now, twice a year the European Commission publishes a progress report on Bulgaria and that, in his words, gives good results. Thomas van Oorshot reminded that some time ago the British ambassador Emma Hopkins said that the forthcoming European Commission report will contain criticisms concerning the fight against high-level corruption. "The Commission will carefully monitor whether the anti-corruption law that became known as the law of Meglena Kuneva will be passed and in what timeframe," said the diplomat who supported the protest of judges over the halfway judicial reform and expressed regret for the resignation of Justice Minister Hristo Ivanov on the same occasion.

It is well known that the Netherlands is against Bulgaria's entry into Schengen. Regarding this issue Ambassador van Oorshot said that the system is "an important achievement for the European Union", but is now under attack. In his words, some of the problems come from the poor control at the external borders of the European Union. But: "It is a common goal for all that Bulgaria would join the Schengen area. We will all benefit from that. But some states do respect the membership rule of law. Because the two are connected. There must be a functioning justice system," says the diplomat. And we mean that the Netherlands, represented by its Prime Minister Mark Rutte, calls for a significant reduction in the number of migrants who reach Europe, it is clear what this means for Bulgaria as an external border – both staying outside Schengen, yet serving as a shielf against migrants albeit with an unreformed judicial system.

English Rossitsa Petcova