site.btaPoliticians in Sofia Hail Decision to Lift Schengen Land Border Checks for Bulgaria, Some See a Downside

Politicians in the Bulgarian Parliament Thursday hailed the decision of the EU Council for full accession to the Schengen border-free area for Bulgaria and Romania and lift land border checks from January 1, 2025. Some saw a downside to it as they fear it may raise the number of migrants in Bulgaria.

Following is a takeaway from the comments in Parliament:

GERB Leader Boyko Borissov called the full Schengen accession “a great success for our country, for which a number of governments worked”. In a Facebook post, he wrote that Bulgaria met the criteria for full Schengen entry "a long time ago".

Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) described the EU Council's decision to lift land border Schengen area checks for Bulgaria and Romania from January 1, 2025 as a "hard-won political victory for Bulgaria". "This day confirms that Bulgaria is Europe and Europe is Bulgaria," said CC-DB Co-Floor Leader Nikolay Denkov, who read out his group's declaration from the National Assembly rostrum. "We deserve to celebrate this historic moment because we join the 425 million people who travel freely," Denkov said. 

In a declaration in Parliament, Vazrazhdane insisted that the Bulgarian Armed Forces should be sent to guard state border in the wake of the full Schengen entry. According to party leader Kostadin Kostadinov, Bulgaria’s entry into Schengen is not something that the country should be proud of. "By entering Schengen by land, Bulgaria is in danger of becoming the largest refugee camp in Europe,” he said.

The decision of the EU Council for full Schengen entry has given Bulgaria "a chance for a new start on its European path," said MRF- New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski in a statement on Thursday. "After today's decision our country is in the zone of free movement across the internal borders of the European Union. Congratulations to all the governments and politicians with whom we worked together so that our country could take its well-deserved place in defending the European security zone, to which it belongs civilization- and value-wise," Peevski added.

Commenting the prospect of Bulgaria's full accession to Schengen (before the decision as officially announced), BSP - United Left Co-Floor Leader Borislav Gutsanov said it would positively affect Bulgaria, since the borders would be much freer. "Look at the huge queues we are talking about at the borders", he noted and added that Bulgaria's full entry in Schengen would be a significant step forward.

There Is Such a People Floor Leader Toshko Yordanov said the Schengen accession, belated as it is, will relieve businesses. He sees a problem coming with it, though. "From our point of view, there is a certain problem because the last Nikolay Denkov cabinet accepted, as part of our Schengen accession deal, some conditions that have nothing to do with the Schengen requirements. I am talking about the uncontrolled return of migrants to the first country that registered them. It would be a problem for our country if it is implemented. Our parliamentary group will not change its mind that everyone who enters illegally should be deported," Yordanov said.

The Morality, Unity, Honour (MECh) party is concerned that the Schengen decision for Bulgaria and Romania will bring about an increased number of illegal migrants . "We cannot be as happy as some other colleagues in Parliament," said MECh leader Radostin Vasilev Thursday. "Of course it is the fruit of long years of hard work, but at this particular historical moment we are very much worried that it [lifting of land border checks for Bulgaria and Romania] may be linked to the war in Syria and that someone wants to admit Bulgaria [to the border-free area for land travel] in haste so that we become a hub for migrants," he added.