Bulgarian PM: No Problem with France over Roma Issue

Bulgaria's Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, is in Brussels for the summit of EU leaders. Photo by BGNES

Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, declared Thursday in Brussels that Bulgaria would not get tangled in debates about France's deportation of Roma.

Borisov, who is Belgium for the summit of EU leaders, said the measures of the French authorities would not interfere with the warm relations between the two countries.

"We are firm that each individual has rights. We have stated it in public, but we would stay away from this dialogue because we do not have a problem and France does not have a problem with Bulgaria. I do not want to be in the group of those countries who have such problem," Borisov is quoted saying.

The PM further pointed out he was apprehensive the Roma issue could threaten Bulgaria's pending entry in the Schengen Zone.

EU leaders are meeting Thursday in Brussels for an emergency summit. The agenda includes relations between the Union and its strategic partners, the new EU diplomatic missions, convincing Italy to sign a contract with South Korea for automobile manufacturing, but the row over France's crackdown on Roma migrants from Romania and Bulgaria is set to dominate the summit.

Meanwhile, the Bulgarian National Radio, BNR, reported that another group of deported Roma is scheduled to arrive in the Black Sea city of Varna Thursday.

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