Borisov: Sleep Calm, Germany, Bulgaria Guards Your Borders

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov (left) at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, Wednesday, January 18, 2012. EPA/BGNES

The Bulgarian-Turkish border is the best protected external EU border, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has told German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin.

"That's why you can sleep calm," the Bulgarian PM told the people of Germany at his joint news conference with Angela Merkel on Wednesday, as cited by DPA>

After Bulgaria's hopes to join the visa-free Schengen Area were frustrated in 2011 by the vetoes of the Netherlands and Finland, amidst concerns by other EU member states such as France and Germany, during his meeting with Merkel Borisov sought to emphasize that in the past few months Bulgaria has met absolutely all criteria for protecting the external borders of the EU and the Schengen zone.

The German Chancellor herself has recognized the fact that Bulgaria has made considerable progress in meeting the Schengen membership criteria.

He position is seen as raising Borisov's hopes that Bulgaria will soon be admitted to the "borderless" Schengen Agreement, according to the reports of German media.

"Some of the member states aren't convinced in that but all of them want to find a way. I think that the time when Bulgaria will be part of Schengen is not so far ahead in the future. Bulgaria needs to do as much as possible to cope with corruption and border security," Merkel told Borisov, while also noting that Bulgaria's Schengen accession needs further discussions within the EU.

Borisov himself has noted that he expects that even the Netherlands, the EU state with the staunchest veto, will soon be convinced of Bulgaria's Schengen fitness.

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