site.btaInterior Minister Ilkov Says He and His Colleagues Work Actively on Bulgaria’s Full Schengen Accession

Over the past week, the Interior Ministry has been actively working on Bulgaria’s full Schengen accession, caretaker Interior Minister Atanas Ilkov told reporters at a news briefing in his ministry's headquarters in Sofia.

Ilkov said that he holds weekly videoconferences with his Romanian counterpart Marian-Catalin Predoiu. A meeting with all the representatives of embassies of European countries in Bulgaria is also planned for early October, Ilkov added.

"Turkiye is an important strategic partner in everything we do. Our good relations help a lot to improve the security environment in Schengen and to reduce migrant pressure. In early October, we have a meeting planned with the Turkish Interior Minister in Bulgaria," Ilkov said, adding that cooperation with Romania, Greece and Serbia is also important.

No Interior Ministry secretary general has been appointed yet and no secretary general will be appointed during the term of the caretaker government, Ilkov reiterated. Currently, Miroslav Rashkov, head of the General Directorate National Police, is acting Interior Ministry Secretary General.