site.btaUPDATED Deputy PM Gabriel Says She Won't Partake in "Tensions, Divisions Harming Bulgaria's Schengen Accession"

"Don't expect me to be part of divisions and tensions which at this moment only harm Bulgaria's accession to Schengen," Deputy Prime Minister Mariya Gabriel told the media on Friday in response to a question about criticism that she had not been active enough as a diplomat on the Schengen issue. She stressed that she had held 317 meetings, over 100 conferences and 17 missions in less than five months. 

She said "we must remain united, not blaming one or the other to admit powerlessness. Because only when there is no division on a cause, which for me is a cause for Bulgaria, can we hope for a good result". 

Gabriel added that Bulgaria has at least four levels of reason to join Schengen - political, economic, security and connectivity.  Apart from these, she noted that the Bulgaria-Austria action plan to protect Bulgaria's border had good results, as well as the EC pilot project in the area of border protection, asylum and return.

Asked about a foreseeable deadline for Bulgaria's accession to Schengen, in view of Austria's firm objection, Gabriel said that based on her knowledge of the European institutions and the decision-making process from day one, she remained pragmatic and cautious and believed that Bulgaria should not be bound by any deadline.

Regarding the expected rotation of the government and whether ministers will be replaced, Gabriel said that she does not start with the presumption of changing ministers, but that "we have a governance programme and we need clear results that people can feel". She also noted the need to keep working with parliamentary groups because the governance agenda is not just about actions and funding for certain initiatives, but is about legislation. 

Gabriel highlighted day-to-day work as the most important at this stage, and the resistance of any kind of tension that leads to division. She stressed that Bulgaria's government has to show that it can do the things that people, business, EU and NATO partners expect from it - stability, reliability, and results.