Bulgaria Declares It Will Join Schengen Partially in March 2024
The official confirmation of Bulgaria and Romania’s air and maritime admission into the Schengen Zone in March 2024 has come from Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Maria Gabriel and Minister of Internal Affairs Kalin Stoyanov jointly made this declaration during a briefing.
Though negotiations on land borders will go on in the upcoming year, inclusion in the Schengen Zone by air and sea is scheduled to start in March. In a statement, the Bulgarian Council of Ministers said that Prime Minister Denkov emphasized Austria’s backing of Bulgaria and other EU nations in these negotiations.
Denkov underlined that Sofia has requested financing, technical assistance, and specialists from the European Commission, as requested by Austria. He emphasized that Sofia’s goal of fortifying its boundaries with Vienna is in line with Vienna’s interests.
The prime minister of Bulgaria made it clear that there are no immediate plans to open up the land borders between Bucharest and Sofia. He underlined that strengthening restrictions to stop unauthorized migrant entry is the main goal.
In December of the previous year, Austria and the Netherlands blocked Bulgaria’s entry into the Schengen Zone mostly due to concerns over irregular migration. On the other hand, the Netherlands has declared its endorsement of Bulgaria’s entry into the EU’s visa-free travel area.
The initiative “Air Schengen,” put out by Austria’s Interior Minister Gerhard Karner, lays forth four requirements that would let Bulgaria and Romania to become partially members of the Schengen Zone. Vienna and Sofia recently came to an agreement that allows the procedure that has been going on for more than 10 years—despite satisfying all the requirements—to be partially completed for the people of both Balkan nations.
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Though negotiations on land borders will go on in the upcoming year, inclusion in the Schengen Zone by air and sea is scheduled to start in March. In a statement, the Bulgarian Council of Ministers said that Prime Minister Denkov emphasized Austria’s backing of Bulgaria and other EU nations in these negotiations.
Denkov underlined that Sofia has requested financing, technical assistance, and specialists from the European Commission, as requested by Austria. He emphasized that Sofia’s goal of fortifying its boundaries with Vienna is in line with Vienna’s interests.
The prime minister of Bulgaria made it clear that there are no immediate plans to open up the land borders between Bucharest and Sofia. He underlined that strengthening restrictions to stop unauthorized migrant entry is the main goal.
In December of the previous year, Austria and the Netherlands blocked Bulgaria’s entry into the Schengen Zone mostly due to concerns over irregular migration. On the other hand, the Netherlands has declared its endorsement of Bulgaria’s entry into the EU’s visa-free travel area.
The initiative “Air Schengen,” put out by Austria’s Interior Minister Gerhard Karner, lays forth four requirements that would let Bulgaria and Romania to become partially members of the Schengen Zone. Vienna and Sofia recently came to an agreement that allows the procedure that has been going on for more than 10 years—despite satisfying all the requirements—to be partially completed for the people of both Balkan nations.
