Imposing more conditions on Bulgaria for Schengen entry 'unfair': EU

BRUSSELLS

Imposing additional conditions on Bulgaria for its entry into the Schengen area is "unfair" to the efforts made by the country, European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic said Monday.

During a press conference, after a journalist reminded him that Austria and the Netherlands were opposed to Bulgaria's participation in Schengen, a visa-free travel zone in Europe, Sefcovic underlined that both Bulgaria and Romania are facing the same situation, adding the two countries are doing everything possible to prepare for membership.

The issue of multiple countries offering the option of building a wall to protect external borders was also brought up.

In response, Sefcovic said they do not support the wall option, noting that they consider European Union funding appropriate for a wide range of measures including the installation and maintenance of surveillance systems, the purchase of equipment to be made available to the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), the renovation or expansion of border crossing points, the training of border guards and support for emergency planning.

The Schengen area covers most of the EU and the all members of the European Free Trade Association (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland).

On Dec. 8 last year, the Council of the European Union decided to lift border controls with Croatia.

Controls at the internal borders of Bulgaria, the Greek Cypriot administration and Romania have not yet been lifted and Ireland is not part of the Schengen area.

BRUSSELLS

Imposing additional conditions on Bulgaria for its entry into the Schengen area is "unfair" to the efforts made by the country, European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic said Monday.

The issue of multiple countries offering the option of building a wall to protect external borders was also brought up.

The Schengen area covers most of the EU and the all members of the European Free Trade Association (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland).

On Dec. 8 last year, the Council of the European Union decided to lift border controls with Croatia.

Controls at the internal borders of Bulgaria, the Greek Cypriot administration and Romania have not yet been lifted and Ireland is not part of the Schengen area.