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Head of State: Bulgaria has Met All Technical Criteria for Schengen and will Continue to Defend its Dignity and Interests

It was a mistake that I allowed in and gave a chance to people who stole our hopes for change, the President said

The Bulgarian state is doing everything possible for our accession to Schengen, but the most important thing is that this country has fulfilled all the technical criteria since 2011. The fact that one or two countries are unwilling to give their support means that they have some impartial views - either economic or domestic political, President Rumen Radev said in response to journalists' questions during his visit to Tirana.

The head of State stressed that this country will not stop working for Schengen accession, but will also defend its rights and dignity. In the President's words, the arguments about blocking us over Schengen because of border police officers accused of corruption are ridiculous and groundless. Finally Bulgaria has started to catch such people. Are there no such people in other countries? Is that why Bulgaria should be punished? This is what Rumen Radev said, adding that by this logic those found guilty of corruption should not be brought to justice, but rewarded.

The President reminded that at the informal European Council meeting in Prague and then at the regular one in Brussels, he had raised the issue with the European leaders because Bulgaria and Romania have met all the criteria and deserve and should be accepted into Schengen. Not admitting the two countries to Schengen is not good for Europe, for our common security, for the free market and our economies, Radev further stressed. The two inspections, which we ourselves initiated in good faith, showed good results, and the second one found even better results than the first one, the President said and recalled the stated support of the European Commission.

Responding to a question, the President dismissed Asen Vasilev's claims that the President meets regularly with former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and stressed that this is not the first lie of the representative of Continue the Change.  I was the first one cheated when I trusted these people and now I am paying the price for my credulity. It was a mistake that I even gave a chance and allowed such people to steal our hopes for change. A change that Bulgarians have been waiting for a long time, but unfortunately they got a lie. But just as we outlived the autocratic model, we will outlive this charlatanism, Rumen Radev added.

In order for Bulgaria to move forward, we must say 'no' to apathy and everyone should be engaged in Bulgaria's problems and future, the President further said. He pointed out that the progress in Bulgarian political life comes with the gradual realisation of all Bulgarians that we cannot move forward with apathy, comments from outside and claims to some or other politicians and to our overall condition. In his words, a much higher voter turnout is also needed for the government to have legitimacy and a clear long-term strategy for our development.