Refugee Crisis May Put an End to Schengen Zone – Latvian Foreign Minister

The continent's beloved borderless travel system is at risk of being cancelled due to the unceasing flood of refugees from Africa and Middle East into Europe.

The worst migrant crisis since the Second World War may force EU member states restore passport control within the Schengen Zone, Rinkevics told reporters on Monday, citing the differences in the views of EU countries on the problem.

"The issue evoked disagreement. If it isn't agreed, all of us may witness more serious consequences", He said.

According to Rinkevics, if EU member states do not agree on a satisfactory solution on the problem of distribution of refugees across Europe, it may result in abolishing the Schengen Zone.

"Member states may restore passport control", He forecast.

On Wednesday, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is expected to present new proposals for the relocation of refugees within the European Union, adding another 120,000 people to the group the Commission had previously proposed relocating. According to the plan, Latvia will have to accept 2239 refugees instead of 250.

The Schengen zone, implemented in 1995, was unprecedented in its ambition as it has abolished passport controls for travel between 26 countries.

Experts have been giving gloomy prognosis about its soon demise ever since Hungary sealed off its frontier to stop illegal migrants moving across the EU. The fact that every country deals with the problem in a very national way makes the situation even worse, the analysts say.

Recently, German chancellor Angela Merkel warned of the possibility of abolishing the passport-free zone.