site.btaOutgoing PM Denkov to Attend Official Ceremony Marking Bulgaria’s Accession to Schengen by Air

Outgoing Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov will participate in an official ceremony marking Bulgaria's entry into the Schengen area by air, the press service of the Council of Ministers said here on Saturday. The event will take place at Sofia Airport's Terminal 2 at 10.30 a.m. on March 31.

Bulgaria's accession to Schengen will be marked with a symbolic opening of the air border. Outgoing Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel, Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov and Transport and Communications Minister Georgi Gvozdeikov will also attend the ceremony.

Thus, Bulgaria achieves its long-standing goal to become a member of the Schengen area after more than a decade of negotiations. Initially, air and sea border checks will be abolished. Land border checks are expected to be abolished by the end of 2024.

In April, the European Parliament is expected to call for a decision to be adopted by mid-2024 on the complete abolition of checks when travelling to and from Bulgaria and Romania from Schengen countries.

The European Commission (EC), EC President Ursula von der Leyen, EC Vice-President Margaritis Schinas and European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson welcome the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to Schengen. All Schengen rules, including for issuing Schengen visas, will now apply in both Member States, with controls at internal air and sea borders being abolished.