Bulgarian PM Unwavering about Joining Schengen

Bulgarian Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, is in Brussels for the European Council meeting. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria will insist on joining the Schengen zone under the current conditions, and only then will consider complying with additional criteria, according to Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov.

Borisov made the statement Thursday, upon his arrival in Brussels for the European Council meeting.

The Schengen enlargement is not on the agenda of the meeting, but it became clear even before its start that the Netherlands want to include texts which could hinder Bulgaria's membership by tying it with additional criteria, the Bulgarian National Radio, BNR, reports.

The Bulgarian PM has been firm any additional conditions must be the same for all EU countries.

"Currently we have fulfilled 100% of what Brussels asked us to do and we demand having a date and a decision on Bulgaria's and Romania's joining. After that, if there are additional criteria for all members, of course, we will comply," Borisov is quoted saying.

On the subject of rescuing Greece from bankruptcy, Borisov differentiated from the opinion of several other EU leaders, who oppose the "endless pouring of money into Greece's economy" by saying that "Bulgaria wants a stable neighbor and maximum help for it, because stability means prosperity, instead of the wars that tore the Balkans 15 years ago."

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