The Netherlands has officially asked the European Commission for an additional fact-finding mission to Bulgaria, BNR’s correspondent in Brussels Anguelina Piskova reports.

The mission is connected with the Netherlands’ veto on Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area. Caretaker prime minister Mark Rutte explicitly stated he expected an objective not a “sugar-coated” report on the rule of law from the mission.  

The EC once again stated Bulgaria and Romania meet all Schengen membership requirements. The news comes just before the early elections in the Netherlands on 22 November. According to surveys, the favourite in the election is the right-wing party New Social Contract which opposes the enlargement of the EU. It is followed closely by Christian Democratic Appeal, whose position is unclear.