“We have been ready to join Schengen for a long time. The fact that Austria is blocking us is unfair. We should oppose this unprincipled position by using the European budget,” said Bulgarian MEP Andrey Novakov at a conference, at the European Parliament, on Schengen enlargement and Bulgaria's role in EU borders' security.  

At the forum, MEP Emil Radev, also from Bulgaria, also supported the proposal that Sofia should veto the new budget of the EU, BGNES reports. According to Andrey Novakov, Bulgaria is not part of Schengen because of political calculations that are going to help the ruling party in Austria earn an additional 3% of the votes at the election. “Was Schengen reformed when they admitted Croatia,” Novakov asked in response to the words of the Austrian chancellor that Schengen was “broken” and cannot be enlarged before it is “mended”.

• Enlarging Schengen is unthinkable before it is “mended”, Austrian Chancellor Nehammer says

The Bulgarian MEP stated that Bulgaria will not tolerate double standards because Bulgarians can no longer have obligations but no rights.