site.btaBulgaria to Reap Many Benefits of Schengen, Head of EC Representation in Bulgaria Says

Bulgaria will reap many benefits of its Schengen membership, Yordanka Chobanova, Head of the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria, said Sunday during an official ceremony which marked Bulgaria's entry into the Schengen area by air and sea. The event took place at Sofia Airport's Terminal 2.

According to her, Bulgaria's accession to Schengen will bring more opportunities for travel, tourism, trade and will develop this country’s internal market. "Last year alone, more than 10 million people passed through Bulgaria's airports. Those were mainly flights to and from the Schengen area. I am convinced that this will have a direct impact on people's lives," Chobanova underscored.

"I am confident that very soon we will have a date for the abolition of controls on internal land borders. The European Commission stands firmly beside Bulgaria in this process", she added.

The ceremony at Sofia Airport’s Terminal 2 was also attended by outgoing PM Nikolay Denkov, Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel, Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov, Transport and Communications Minister Georgi Gvozdeikov, and Belgian Ambassador to Bulgaria Frederic Meurice.