PM Denkov: Principled Agreement Reached with Austria on Bulgaria, Romania Schengen Accession by Air and Sea for a Start
Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov Thursday said Austria had committed to continue negotiating on Bulgaria and Romania’s accession by land to the Schengen border-free area. After complicated negotiations, the two countries have reached a principled agreement with Austria on joining Schengen by air and sea for a start, Denkov said.
These negotiations will be coupled with substantial support from the European Commission to protect the EU’s external borders with Turkey and Serbia so as to reduce the flow of illegal migrants into Europe, Denkov also said.
“After 12 years without much progress on Schengen, today we can congratulate ourselves on this indisputable success of Bulgaria,” Denkov said.
The Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister Mariya Gabriel and Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov will give details in a media statement after Thursday’s cabinet meeting.