site.btaBulgaria to Receive EU Funding to Reduce Migrant Pressure

A new EUR 2 billion will be allocated to reduce migrant pressure on the EU, as part of these funds will be directed to Bulgaria, Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov said during Parliament's Question Time on Friday. Denkov responded to a question of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria MP Daniel Lorer, who wanted to know the results of the Prime Minister's participation in the European Council, held Thursday in Brussels.

"The main topics of the European Council yesterday were related to the budget update, setting some new priorities for funding, support for Ukraine, support for the fight against illegal migration. Something that directly concerns Bulgaria," Denkov clarified. 

"Separately, some other issues were also discussed, such as the clash between Israel and Palestine, agricultural protests and others," he added.

Denkov also said that  support for Bulgaria's accession to the euro area and Schengen was sought in individual talks with the prime ministers of various countries. "Especially I sought talks with countries that are generally very conservative when looking for solutions related to EU enlargement - these are the Nordic countries, the Netherlands and Germany. In all these talks there was an understanding of Bulgaria's progress and that Bulgaria should be part of the the Schengen area and the euro area when it meets the inflation criterion," the Prime Minister explained.

He stressed that this position was also stated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.