site.btaBulgaria Insists on Full Schengen Accession

Meeting with his counterparts of Austria and Romania, Gerhard Karner and Catalin Predoiu, Bulgarian Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov said that Bulgaria insists for full accession to the Schengen border-free travel area rather than just for air travel, said the Interior Ministry press office Tuesday. The three ministers met in Kranj, Slovenia, on Monday, within the Salzburg Forum ministerial conference.

Stoyanov said: "Bulgaria and Romania have fulfilled all the criteria for full Schengen membership and the results of the latest mission in Bulgaria, conducted by experts of the member states, including Austria and the Netherlands, proved that again."

Busy talks are underway between the three countries, progress is being made and discussions will continue, the Ministry said.

Minister Stoyanov argued that the Schengen enlargement into Bulgaria and Romania will contribute to strengthening the border-free area and improve the way it functions. He added that Bulgaria already contributes to security in the Schengen area by implementing a number of measures and all available instruments for strong border control and police cooperation.

Bulgaria is also making consistent efforts against people smuggling and human trafficking rings, and has backed recently unveiled EC legislative initiatives for strengthening the role of Europol and harmonizing the sanctions for human trafficking, the Interior Ministry said.