site.btaCC Co-leader Petkov: Prime Minister Can Carry on with Schengen Negotiations without Other Countries Finding Excuses

Continue the Change co-leader Kiril Petkov said that Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov "can carry on with his negotiations for Bulgaria’s Schengen accession without other countries finding excuses". His comment was in response to the amendments to the Act on Control over the Application of the Restrictive Measures in View of Russia's Actions Destabilizing the Situation in Ukraine approved by Parliament on first and second reading on Monday.

"The National Assembly has removed the obstacle to Bulgaria's Schengen entry by scrapping the fee on Russian gas transit," Radoslav Ribarski MP of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria commented earlier in the day. He was referring to a warning by Hungary that it would veto Bulgaria's admission to the Schengen area unless the fee on Russian gas transit is lifted.

"Now it is Austria’s turn," Petkov said. "The most important thing is not the exact date, but to achieve a ‘Schengen by land’ without it being put to a second vote by the European Council," he noted, adding that it is crucial to accept conditions that would not require a second vote.

"I am glad that we managed to pass the two most important budgets and now we can vote on the third one despite Vazrazhdane’s intentions," Petkov said.