site.btaForeign Minister Gabriel: the Sooner Bulgaria and Romania Join Schengen for Land Travel, the Better They Will Deal with Migration

The sooner Bulgaria and Romania join the Schengen area for border-free travel, the better able they will be to deal with the challenges related to migration, Bulgarian outgoing Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel said in a speech at the Bucharest congress of the European People's Party (EPP).

Gabriel's GERB party is affiliated with the EPP. 

The Bulgarian diplomat underscored the key role her country is playing in protecting the EU border.

She thanked EPP President Manfred Werner for his support for Bulgaria and GERB "during the toughest times in the past two years", and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for the support on key issues for Bulgaria, including entry in Schengen, the eurozone and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

Gabriel outlined as key priorities security in the Black Sea, enhanced border security, continued support for Ukraine and energy security.

"We need to invest more in energy networks; we saw what happened in Ukraine because of Russia's aggression. The role of Bulgaria, Greece and Romania is key in this respect. We need to reduce our dependence", said Gabriel. 

She added that close coordination with the NATO allies is needed more than ever.

She vowed Bulgaria's support for Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia on their path towards the EU.

Finally, Maria Gabriel called for the creation of a fund for European culture and support for cultural industries.

She expressed support for the nomination of Ursula von der Leyen as the EPP lead candidate in the European Parliament elections in June.