Bulgaria's accession to Schengen is a national priority and as a responsible and reliable Member State of the European Union (EU) Bulgaria is making great efforts to secure the external European borders, President Rumen Radev said on Tuesday at a meeting with Austrian National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka, the head of State’s press centre reported. Sobotka is on an official visit to Sofia at the invitation of National Assembly Chair Rossen Zhelyazkov.
Radev pointed out that Bulgaria has invested a lot of resources from its national budget to curb the migration pressure and has met all the technical criteria for Schengen membership since 2011.
The President and Sobotka agreed that more active solidarity at European level and joint efforts of all Member States are needed to protect EU's external borders. Radev expressed his appreciation for Austria's support for the European Commission to allocate more funds for the strengthening of the Bulgarian-Turkish border.
"Joint efforts are also needed to combat the financial networks and centres located in a number of European countries, which not only secure illegal migration but also fuel corruption," the head of State pointed out.
Sobotka expressed Austrian society's concern about increased illegal trafficking of people to the EU, which raises security issues. He also stressed that Austria highly appreciates Bulgaria's efforts to secure EU's external borders, which is a common task for all Member States.
The Austrian National Council President stated that Austria has not raised the issue of the work of the Bulgarian security services as a condition for this country’s accession to Schengen.
/RY/
news.modal.text
Nothing available
