site.btaBulgaria, Romania Discuss Consular Issues Related to Schengen

Consular issues arising from the membership of Bulgaria and Romania in Schengen, as well as issues related to crisis response and management, were discussed at bilateral consultations with a delegation from Romania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sofia on Thursday, said the Ministry on its website. 

The sides assessed the talks as extremely useful and timely in the context of joint accession to the Schengen area by air and sea and the similar challenges the two EU Member States face. They were unanimous that close cooperation and coordinated actions are the right path to successful full Schengen membership. An analysis of what has been achieved so far was made, highlighting good practices and successful policies. Experience in the practical and technical field was exchanged, as well as information on the adaptation of the national legal framework to the Schengen legislation. 

The Romanian delegation included Romanian Ambassador to Bulgaria Brandusa Predescu, the Director General of the Consular Department Bogdan-Mihai Stanescu and Andrei Ferendino, Head of the Operational Center for Emergency Situations at the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On the Bulgarian side, leading representatives were Georgi Vodenski, Director of the Consular Relations Directorate and Tanya Dimitrova, Director of the Situation Center Directorate.