Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

Austria and the Netherlands are saying “no” to Bulgaria’s accession to Schengen, for now

| updated on 12/6/22 2:53 PM
Photo: archive

In a comment on Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area, made at the EU-Western Balkans summit in Tirana, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte stated that next year Bulgaria could take steps forward. 

“At this stage, it's not “no” for Bulgaria, it's “not yet”. More time will be needed for two reasons: a new assessment of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, and the Schengen Verification Mechanism. I spoke with President Rumen Radev and I'm optimistic that next year we can take steps forward,” Mark Rutte said.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer also stated that Austria is against the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen area. “More time is needed. We have 75,000 unregistered illegal immigrants in Austria. This means that they have crossed the external border of the EU and have ended up in a landlocked country like Austria. We have to answer these security questions first," Karl Nehammer 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

Rumen Radev

President Radev visits regions in Bolyarovo affected by wildfire

On the fifth day of the wildfires raging in the country, politicians started arriving in the border municipality of Bolyarovo, where 7 villages have been affected by the fire. Wildfire near border with Turkey expected to be contained on..

published on 7/20/24 10:46 AM
Voden village after the fire

Wildfire near border with Turkey expected to be contained on Saturday

The efforts to contain the wildfires in the border municipality of Bolyarovo continue. The partial state of emergency continues to be in place in 7 villages. The night was calm in the region of the big fire in the vicinity of the village of Voden..

published on 7/20/24 9:53 AM

Rain expected over the weekend, temperatures will stay high

On Saturday sunshine is the forecast until noon. In the afternoon clouds will appear and by midnight it will rain briefly but intensely with thunder. There is a risk of hail in the northwest.  Minimum temperatures will be between 18 and 24°C,..

published on 7/19/24 7:25 PM