site.btaInterior Minister Buchvarova: Bulgaria's Accession to Schengen Area Is Now Matter of Security of Entire EU

Interior Minister Buchvarova: Bulgaria's Accession to Schengen Area Is Now Matter of Security of Entire EU

Brussels/Sofia, October 8 (BTA) - Bulgarian Interior Minister
Roumyana Buchvarova attended Thursday the first session on the
agenda of the meeting of the EU's Justice and Home Affairs
Council which discussed the strengthening of the protection and
the effective management of the EU's external borders,
Buchvarova's Ministry said in a press release.

"We would like for Bulgaria's and Romania's accession to the
Schengen Area to be taken into account when coordinated
activities are planned and discussed for the management of the
EU's external borders. Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen Area
 is now a matter of security of the entire EU. Only in this way
will the concept for ensuring EU's security be complete,"
Buchvarova said.

In her words, although the present situation is a challenge for
the whole EU, most affected are the member states that are at
the forefront, including Bulgaria, who are responsible for the
security of the external borders of the Union. "This is why
solidarity needs to be shown precisely to these countries. The
right balance should be found between the collective actions and
 the national interests in border management," Buchvarova said,
noting that Bulgaria is unable to fully contribute to the joint
efforts in this respect because it is not yet part of the
Schengen Area.

The Interior Minister said that the absence of full access to
some visa information systems and to the Schengen information
systems limits Bulgaria's ability to counteract even more
successfully the contraband trade and the trafficking in people,
 despite this country's capacity and readiness for dealing with
the problem which is becoming ever more significant for Europe.
"By joining the Schengen Area and having access to the entire
set of tools under its legislation, Bulgaria will contribute for
 ever more comprehensive prevention - checks in issuing Schengen
 Area visas and non-admittance of foreign nationals banned from
entering the Schengen space," Buchvarova said.

The Interior Minister stressed that at the same time, since it
became a member of the EU, Bulgaria has been providing
high-level security of the external borders of the Union,
despite its limited access to such information systems and the
limited resources.

After Buchvarova's statement, Chairman of the Justice and Home
Affairs Council meeting Jean Asselborn thanked Bulgaria for its
efforts in protecting the external borders of the EU despite not
 being a member of the Schengen Area.