Bulgaria has fulfilled all technical requirements for Schengen and the country's accession is a matter of a political decision, Vice President Margarita Popova said at the opening of a seminar at the Academy of European Law in Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, on the protection of EU external borders.
She said that it was fully possible for Bulgaria to protect the security of external borders while preserving the conditions required to apply the principle of the free movement of people and goods. Co-operation and well co-ordinated action by the relevant authorities of EU member states are extremely important, the Vice President told participants.
Vice President Popova said that in recent years, Bulgaria has been implementing a long-term, uniform and clearly-formulated policy to protect Europe's external borders, combat illegal migration and human trafficking. As Vice President, she reaffirmed Bulgaria’s commitment to implement and enforce the common European policies in this area.
She highlighted the challenges associated with potential migration pressure after the events of recent months in the Middle East and North Africa. Within the complex picture of migration, the situation in Bulgaria is calm, and in 2011, attempted illegal entry by immigrants into the country had even decreased by two per cent compared with the previous year. Bulgaria has modern equipment and improved logistical facilities, communication networks and is successfully fulfilling its responsibilities as a guarantor of regional security, Vice President Popova emphasised.
At the end of a two-day working visit to the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate, the Vice President will hold a meeting at the University of Cologne with representatives of the Bulgarian community.