Messages in the Media - University of Toronto

so viewed, by foreign political scientists, as having a negative
impact on Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen
area. 27 28
- All three news sources reported the German and French
opposition to the acceptance of Bulgaria and Romania into
the border free area, stating that issues of border security
had not been completely resolved. 29 30 31 In contrast,
the papers also covered the position of numerous other
EU states such as Spain, Poland, Hungary, 32 Luxembourg33 and the Czech Republic, 34 all of which openly voiced their
support of Bulgaria and Romania, and in several instances
criticized their colleagues’ opposition. 35 36 37 38
- The issue was exacerbated in mid-2011 when both Bulgaria
and Romania gained the support of several EU
states in asserting that they had successfully met the necessary
criteria for joining the Schengen area. 39 This
meant that the divide between those in support of their
accession and those opposing it grew even wider. 40 41 The
Bulgarian media reflected the opinions of prominent EU
leaders calling for the support of the two countries’ accession,
insisting that anything less would severely damage
solidarity within the union. 42 43 44 45 46
- Regardless of the obvious and widespread disappointment
presented in the media, 47 48 by June, the administration
had shifted towards proactively seeking an exact answer
as to when Bulgaria should expect to join the borderless
zone, 49 50 51 aiming for the first quarter of 2012, 52
while France's prognosis in July stated the accession will
likely happen towards the end of 2012. 53 54 By the fourth
quarter of 2011, Bulgaria and Romania’s accession to
Schengen had already become a sore topic, as the leadership
of both countries insisted that the opposition of the
Netherlands, France, 55 56 Germany, 57 Denmark, 58 Sweden,
Belgium and Finland59 60 was unfair, claiming that the criteria
set out had been achieved. 61 62 63 64 No final decision
was made in 2011; 65 66 however, there was an indication
of a possible date of accession for air travel of March
2012. 67 The heavily reported and discussed topic of accession
to the Schengen Area unsurprisingly continued
well into January 2012. 68
30