site.btaHungary Expects Decision on Abolition of Bulgarian and Romanian Schengen Land Borders by Year-end

For the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU, the abolition of the Schengen land borders of Bulgaria and Romania is a very important issue, Hungarian Deputy Interior Minister Bence Retvari told BTA on Friday,  noting that a decision will likely be made by the end of the year.

Retvari said that this issue will remain on the agenda of the EU Council, without specifying when a vote could be expected. There is no reason to delay the decision, efforts are being made to to reach some solution, he added.

At a press conference in Budapest, Retvari called on EU countries to send additional forces to the external borders of Bulgaria and Greece. He noted that discussions on supporting  Bulgaria and Greece alone, should be held as soon as possible.

Migrants arriving at the EU's southern borders do not seek to obey the law, often attacking border guards. They do not respect the EU, they do not cooperate with the authorities, Retvari argued.

The Hungarian Minister pointed out that it is necessary for the EU to increase security at all external borders, otherwise it will be necessary to restore the internal European borders, and this will harm the internal market.