site.btaForeign Minister Mitov: No Exceptions Can Be Made Regarding Lifting of Visas for Any Country Whatsoever

Foreign Minister Mitov: No Exceptions Can Be Made Regarding Lifting of Visas for Any Country Whatsoever

Brussels, March 14 (BTA Correspondent Nikolay Jeliazkov) - Every country that wants to achieve visa liberalization must meet 72 conditions. No exceptions can be made for any country, under any circumstances whatsoever, Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov told Bulgarian journalists here on Monday. Bulgaria's top diplomat is in Brussels to attend a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council.

According to Mitov, it would be good if an agreement between the EU and Turkey is signed because it would mean that control of the external borders will be regained. "I hope a deal is reached, but what its parameters will be is totally different topic," he added, commenting the upcoming European Council meeting later this week.

Mitov said that Bulgaria's proposals are met with understanding, adding that all institutions, on which support depends for the position voiced by Prime Minister Boyko Borissov in a letter to European Council President Donald Tusk, have been informed.
The Minister noted that he has introduced EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini with Bulgaria's demands that the agreement with Turkey includes protection of the Bulgarian border, as well as that the lifting of visas for Turkish citizens, "if things even come to that", be linked to observing the agreement for readmission between the EU and Ankara. According to Mitov, the visa question should be tied with a deadline for monitoring and confirming the application of the agreement with Turkey for the readmission of migrants, who have illegally crossed into the EU from its territory.

Mitov noted with satisfaction the fact that Mogherini has clearly noted in her letter to the EU foreign ministers on Monday, that work is underway regarding Bulgaria's demands to have illegal and economic migrants returned to their countries of origin. "We are hoping for a decision by the European Council, and that this will become a European policy and not just an obligation and responsibility of the separate countries," he added.

Commenting EU-Russia relations, Mitov said that the need to maintain the unity of EU Member States' position was underscored. According to him, the Minsk agreements are a condition from which there could be no backtracking. The door should be left open for certain topics, which could be discussed with Russia to solve global issues, to the extent possible, the Foreign Minister said. He gave Iran, Syria and Libya as examples of such topics.