site.btaForeign Minister Mitov: Migrant Crisis Is Yet Another Argument in Favour of Admitting Bulgaria into Schengen

Foreign Minister Mitov: Migrant Crisis Is Yet Another Argument in Favour of Admitting Bulgaria into Schengen

Sofia, September 8 (Lora Metanova of BTA) - The migrant crisis is yet another argument in favour of admitting Bulgaria into the Schengen area, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov said in a BTA interview. He argued that Bulgaria's accession to the European border-free zone would enhance the exchange of information and data, including those in respect to the migrant flows, with the other member countries. "This would improve the operational capacity for dealing with the risks created by the migrant wave," commented Mitov.

He also said that Bulgaria's partner countries acknowledge the good job this country is doing in protecting its border and ensuring the good treatment of protection seekers who have lawfully entered Bulgaria. "This is why it is my opinion that the migrant flow cannot be used as an argument for postponing Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen agreement."

Speaking about the voting in overseas stations in an upcoming referendum on electronic voting in Bulgaria, Mitov said that his expectations are for high turnout in some countries, including Germany, the UK and the US. The early information is for low turnout in other countries but the Minister hopes that this will change after an awareness campaign for the referendum.

The Foreign Ministry is in charge of the logistics of overseas voting in Bulgarian elections and national referendums.

The October 25 referendum will be about whether to make remote electronic voting possible during political elections and referendums.

The Foreign Ministry had figured out that overseas voting in the referendum will cost 2 million leva but the government only set aside 1.5 million leva. Mitov expects that they will manage with the reduced budget by having fewer members on the overseas election commissions in the voting stations.

The Foreign Minister believes that Bulgaria is closer than ever to signing a treaty on goodneighbourly relations with Macedonia. "I believe our neighbours have come to understand that their Euro-Atlantic prospects depend on a number of factors and not all of them - like developing the democratic institutions and establishing rule of law - are of internal policy nature. The signing of a treaty on goodneighbourly relations with Macedonia would be an indication of the country's genuine ambition to embrace quickly the Euro-Atlantic standards and principles," said Daniel Mitov.