site.btaKiril Petkov and Othmar Karas Discuss Bulgaria’s Schengen, Eurozone Entry

Continue the Change co-leader Kiril Petkov met with Othmar Karas, first Vice-President of the European Parliament to discuss issues that are strategic for Bulgaria such as its entry into the eurozone and Schengen, said Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria coalition on Tuesday. 
 
At a COSAC forum in Spain, Karas categorically called for Bulgaria’s and Romania’s entry into Schengen and the eurozone. 
 
COSAC is a conference of the parliamentary committees for Union Affairs of parliaments of the European Union. 
 
“EU’s external border should be identical with that of Schengen. There should be no different borders in the EU. The veto on Bulgaria and Romania is not part of the solution but part of the problem and this should change immediately,” said Karas. Karas was categorical that this is the way to a better European Union. 

"The process of Schengen accession is complex and requires the unanimous approval of all Schengen members. Bulgaria has made a lot of efforts to improve controls at the borders and strengthen its judicial system but despite that its Schengen entry is still at issue. I am glad that there are European leaders who see the bigger picture - that this is not just a strategic step for Bulgaria but for the entire European Union," said Kiril Petkov. 
 
The Schengen enlargement and Bulgaria’s and Romania’s entry topped the agenda of the forum in Spain. 

In a message at the forum Petkov said that a significant part of the European border police is deployed at the internal borders of EU member states at the expense of the external borders. EU figures currently show that the Western migrant route accounts for 13% of all migrant numbers. The Central Mediterranean route accounts for 71% of migrant numbers. The Eastern migrant route accounts for 15%, of which as few as 2% cross the land border between Bulgaria and Turkiye,” said Petkov.