site.btaEU Commissioner for Home Affairs: Only if Bulgaria Is Full-fledged Schengen Member Could We Fight Organized Crime Successfully

In a video address during a national conference in Sofia themed "Prevention and Combatting of Human Trafficking: Good Practices and Sustainable Solutions", EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said: "Only if Bulgaria is a full-fledged member of Schengen could we fight organized crime successfully".

"I will do everything in my power to make sure that land travel restrictions are lifted as soon as possible," she noted, adding that Bulgaria belongs to Schengen.

On December 30, 2023, the Council of the European Union unanimously voted to lift controls for Bulgaria and Romania at the air and sea borders with Schengen countries as of end-March 2024. The Council also committed to working towards the abolition of checks at land borders as well.

"Human trafficking is the most terrible manifestation of organized crime. Criminals can only sell drugs once, but they can sell a woman's body over and over again. More than 90% of Bulgarian victims are women and girls. Trafficking in women is mainly for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Human trafficking is an invisible crime, and we must do more to raise awareness. The most powerful tool in this fight is European legislation," Johansson said.