Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Bulgaria and Romania remain outside Schengen

| updated on 12/8/22 6:12 PM
Photo: European Council

Only Croatia will be admitted to the Schengen area from January 1, while Bulgaria and Romania remain outside the open travel zone. In today's vote in the EU Council, Austria has blocked the accession of Romania and Bulgaria into Schengen, while the Netherlands supported Romania's bid but opposed Bulgaria's
25 countries voted in favour of Bulgaria. Earlier it was reported that during the discussion the Netherlands had requested a new report on Bulgaria under the Cooperation and Verification and Mechanism (CVM). Introduced upon the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the EU, the CVM aimed to bring the two countries in line with EU standards in rule of law. The mechanism was lifted in 2019. The information was provided by BNR correspondent in Brussels Angelina Piskova.
Bulgaria has never had more support for Schengen. Foreign Minister Nikolay Milkov said the issue would be raised at upcoming meetings with the European Union. He expects a new positive decision on Bulgaria's accession to Schengen in March

"The issue is political", caretaker Minister of Interior Ivan Demerdzhiev said with regard to the decision of Austria and the Netherlands to stop Bulgaria for Schengen. In his view, the Netherlands’ position is not constructive. "For the time being, Bulgaria will not take reciprocal measures", Minister Demerdzhiev said.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Temenuzhka Petkova

Finance Minister to present Bulgaria's euro area readiness in Brussels

Bulgarian Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova will travel to Brussels to provide an update on Bulgaria’s progress towards euro area accession. The Finance Ministry has confirmed that Minister Petkova will participate in the Eurogroup meeting on 17..

published on 2/17/25 7:40 AM

Snow, rain and freezing temperatures

Minimum temperatures on Monday will be between minus 4 and 1°C. In Sofia it will be around minus 3°C. The mercury will hover between -3 and 0 °C in the north. Maximum temperatures in southern Bulgaria will be between 2 and 7°C. In the capital it will..

published on 2/16/25 7:05 PM

New Russian emigration in Bulgaria pays tribute to Alexei Navalny

The one-year anniversary of the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was marked with a memorial service in Sofia's St Nedelya Cathedral. It was organised by the movement "For a Free Russia" - an association of Russian immigrants in..

published on 2/16/25 5:39 PM