Hungary on December 16 threatened to veto Bulgaria’s entry into the passport-free Schengen zone unless it abolishes the transit fee for Russian gas. "We’ve made it clear to the Bulgarians that if they keep this in place for long, if they jeopardize the safety of Hungary's energy supply for long, we'll veto their Schengen entry," Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said. Prime Minister Viktor Orban's nationalist government has often taken positions seen as pro-Russia in opposition to the rest of the 27-member EU. The Netherlands on December 15 agreed to Bulgaria joining Schengen, ending its opposition over concerns about corruption and migration. To read the original story by RFE/RL’s Bulgarian Service, click here.
