Bulgaria 'Counts on Czech Support' for Schengen Entry

Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (L) and Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev on September 06, 2016. Photo: EPA/BGNES

The Czech Republic has thrown its support behind Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen area, its Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka has said, according to the press office of his Bulgarian counterpart Rosen Plevneliev.

The Bulgarian head of state is on a two-day visit to Prague, having met with Czech counterpart Milos Zeman on Monday.

Plevneliev and Sobotka have agreed their two countries share similar views on issues such as migration and security and both welcome the closure of the so-called Western Balkans migrant route.

Bulgaria's President has reiterated that Bulgaria "has strictly adhered to the rules of Dublin and Schengen" since the beginning of the migration crisis in 2013. His comments come against the backdrop of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's recent comments that Sofia would not take back migrants sent by Western Europe under the Dublin II regulation even if these crossed into Europe via Bulgaria.

"The measures which Bulgaria introduced to protect the external EU borders heped considerably to lower the migratory pressure on Central and Western European countries," the press office quotes Sobotka as saying.

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