Break! Hungary is sending Bulgaria into Schengen…

Bulgaria and Romania today presented the progress made since the abolition of Schengen sea checks and air borders from this spring

The Hungarian Presidency of the EU Council will put the question of abolishing checks at the Schengen land borders in Bulgaria and Romania on the agenda of European interior ministers in December. This was announced at a press conference by the Minister of the Interior of Hungary, Sándor Pinter, after today’s meeting of his colleagues in Luxembourg. I hope for a positive decision, he said, quoted by BTA.

The minister pointed out that Bulgaria and Romania today presented the progress achieved after the abolition of checks on Schengen sea and air borders since last spring. According to him, there was no discussion on this issue today and a report is still to be prepared, which will be the basis for the decision of the ministers in the future.

It is clear to us that the data submitted by the Bulgarian and Romanian ministers will answer all the questions that Austria may have, he said regarding the lack of agreement still from Vienna to send the shoe to give up in December.

At the end of last year, Austria was the only EU country that did not support the complete abolition of Schengen checks for Bulgaria and Romania.

I don’t make predictions and I don’t make promises, but I believe there is a big step forward, said Pinter.

Bulgaria and Romania fully implement the Schengen legislation, noted the European Commissioner for Internal Affairs Ylva Johansson. Land boundaries are still to be decided. Both countries are in Schengen, I expect the next decision from the EU Council soon, she said. I am in contact with Austria, so I am very optimistic, said Johansson, who reiterated her hope that a decision would be made before the end of her mandate (Dec. ). Bulgaria and Romania implement the Schengen legislation perfectly, fulfilling all conditions and even more. A very good job was done, Johansson summarized.

One of the priorities is to strengthen the borders outside the EU, said Pinter. The minister noted that the EU Council was informed at a meeting today about the European Commission’s report on the Schengen situation. According to him, the data shows that Schengen is under strong migration pressure.

According to European Commissioner Johansson, the number of migrants who arrived illegally in the EU decreased by 40 percent since the beginning of the year, and the number of returns increased by 18 percent. However, the number of asylum applications is not decreasing, which means that most migrants come with a visa or from visa-free countries, she explained.