site.btaGerman Ambassador Irene Maria Plank: We Believe Bulgaria Should Become Full Member of Schengen Area

"We believe that Bulgaria should become a full member of the Schengen area," German Ambassador to Bulgaria Irene Maria Plank said in an interview with Nova TV on Saturday. She recalled that Germany's position on this issue was expressed already last year by Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

"Some EU member states still need to be convinced of this, but we would be happy to support Bulgaria on this as well. As far as the euro area is concerned, Bulgaria should fulfil the so-called 'convergence criteria'. I think that, at the moment, the inflation rate in Bulgaria is still a problem. But the answer is that when Bulgaria meets the convergence criteria - yes," Irene Maria Plank said. 

On what has been happening in Bulgaria's judiciary in recent weeks, the German ambassador said that the rule of law is a pillar of the European Union.

"In my opinion, the Bulgarians themselves have the greatest interest in a rule of law Bulgaria. We naturally support efforts in this direction. In my view, judicial reform is particularly important. Some of its elements have already been decided by the new Parliament. I believe judicial reform is central and when it really happens, it will not only be important for Schengen and Eurozone entry, but also for strengthening confidence in the rule of law in Bulgaria," the German ambassador added.