European Union interior ministers have denied Romania and Bulgaria entry into Europe's borderless free-travel zone.

Polish Interior Minister Jerzy Miller said Thursday the two EU members were promised a place in the 25-nation Schengen zone, but that promise was broken. He questioned the mutual trust among Schengen member states.

Miller spoke after a meeting of EU interior ministers in Brussels, where Romania and Bulgaria had support from many EU members.

But the Netherlands and Finland publicly opposed admitting the two countries, saying they must do a better job of fighting corruption and organized crime before border checks are ended.

To join, Romania and Bulgaria needed unanimous approval from the 22 countries that are EU and Schengen members. Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007.

The dispute over the Romanian and Bulgarian bids is the latest controversy for the Schengen area. Some EU countries are increasingly seeking permission to temporarily reinstate internal border controls due to concerns about illegal migration.