site.btaAustrian Ambassador Inspects Kapitan Andreevo Border Checkpoint

All national institutions are ready on a professional level for Bulgaria to work as a full-fledged Schengen state, said Border Police Chief Commissioner Anton Zlatanov, at the Kapitan Adreevo border checkpoint on Tuesday.

Zlatanov visited the point of entrance to the EU together with the Austrian Ambassador to Bulgaria, Andrea Ikic-Böhm. "The Ambassador noted our enormous progress, and it is not only her, but also all the authorities in Austria and the other EU Member States," Zlatanov said. He pointed out that the migrant pressure has been reduced by 70% in 2024 compared to 2023, which according to him is an excellent indicator. "My task as a professional leader is to improve these results and to maintain them at extremely acceptable levels", he stressed.

"We maintain a very good partnership with the Austrian side, with their liaison officers and with the ambassador. She is here at our invitation to re-acquaint herself with the intensity of work at the largest border checkpoint in Bulgaria and Europe, as well as with our results on the green border," Zlatanov said. He noted that important weeks are ahead for Bulgaria regarding full Schengen membership.

He announced that a contractor has already been selected to complete the video surveillance of 100 kilometres along the Bulgarian-Turkish border, for which funds were approved by the European Commission in September. A contract and a framework agreement with the contractor for the performance of the activity is pending, Zlatanov added.