site.btaUPDATED PM: No Date Specified So Far for Bulgaria's Accession to Schengen Land Borders

No date regarding Bulgaria's accession to Schengen including land borders has been specified so far, neither with Romania, nor with Austria, nor in the negotiations with the European Commission, Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov told a briefing on Thursday at the Council of Ministers.

Denkov noted that only Austria had committed to continue negotiations on when Bulgaria and Romania would be accepted as full members of the Schengen area.

He affirmed that in the course of the talks there was no idea of separating Bulgaria and Romania in the accession process.

The prime minister also said that there was a real problem in Austria, as a large number of migrants are arriving in the country without being registered in advance. Austria is helping Bulgaria, and other border countries, by urging the European Commission to assist these countries with funds, technical means, experts from Frontex and other European institutions, Denkov said. 

Bulgaria's interest coincides with that of Austria as Bulgaria also wants to consolidate its external borders, he added. Denkov pointed out that Austria had also joined Schengen in two phases, similar to Bulgaria. 

He also highlighted that no easing of the land border crossing between Bulgaria and Romania is foreseen, as precise controls have to be carried out. 

"Several institutions have a role to play to achieve a favourable outcome. I would like to highlight in particular the role of the National Assembly, which in recent months adopted a number of laws that have been awaited for years, which were related to the expectations of the Netherlands and the European Commission to establish the rule of law in Bulgaria," Denkov said. According to him, without these laws the veto of the Netherlands would not have been lifted. 

"It is a principle of our cabinet that we do not give out information before the negotiations on various issues, which are complex and important, are completed. Since the Romanian government has provided information to their media, hence to our media some of the information on the still ongoing negotiations, we decided to say what has been happening in the last days and weeks," he said. 

He noted that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel, along with the Interior Ministry, also played a key role in the negotiations. Gabriel and Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov were also present at the briefing. 

Gabriel told the briefing that at the end of March air and sea border controls will be lifted and in the next stage, controls at land borders will be lifted as well. 

She said that the last few days have been climactic, not only because of all the years of hard work, months of perseverance and results, but also because of the many intense hours of negotiations on the details already on the days of December 22 and 23, and the renewed negotiations since December 26.

"It is important that 2024 will be the year in which we continue to show results and, in cooperation with Austria, move to the next phase, which is now including land borders, Gabriel stressed. We continue to work very actively with our partners in Austria, Romania, the European Commission, the Spanish Presidency, as well as with the General Secretariat and the Legal Service of the Council on a decision on full Schengen membership for Bulgaria and Romania," the Deputy Prime Minister said.

She stressed that "we are talking about a delicate negotiation process which is not yet complete". We hope this will happen in the remaining days until the end of the year, Gabriel also added.

Gabriel said that she would also like to especially thank former prime minister Boyko Borissov. She also thanked the Justice Minister and his team, highlighted the work of ambassadors, MEPs, parliamentary groups supporting the government and the country's Schengen accession, and the presidential institution. 

Stoyanov told the media that his Ministry has received excellent evaluation and support even from those who are currently holding Bulgaria back on the road to full Schengen membership.

"The Interior Ministry's result is clearly fixed in the report of the last inspection mission that took place in November in the framework of Schengen accession. I want to firmly state that we will continue to do what is necessary. In sync with the prime minister and deputy prime minister, we will defend our position until the final political decision is taken," Stoyanov added. 

He expressed his gratitude to all the representatives of the various institutions making efforts for Bulgaria's full membership in the Schengen area.

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Later in the day, Denkov took part in a meeting in Parliament of representatives of the Foreign policy and European integration committees together with Gabriel and Stoyanov. After the meeting, Denkov told journalists that he did not expect Austria to change its position on accepting Bulgaria by air and sea. "If Austria changes its attitude to what it has already accepted, it means that we are entering a completely different discussion. I do not expect this to happen," Denkov said.

There is still enough procedural and technical time for the decision to be taken by the end of the year, Gabriel said.

Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Policy Chairman and GERB leader Boyko Borissov called for more optimism. He commented that Bulgaria would not give up on opening its land borders, but the use of the Schengen system meant a different kind of trust in Bulgaria.