Maria Gabriel: The Schengen area became stronger with the acceptance of Bulgaria and Romania by air and water

"With Bulgaria and Romania today, the Schengen area has become stronger" - this was stated by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Maria Gabriel, quoted by the press center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the occasion of last night's unanimous decision of the Council of the European Union for the two countries to join Schengen with abolition of internal air and sea border controls from 31 March 2024.

"Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen area is a national priority and a commitment under our Treaty of Accession to the European Union. I thank the governments that have worked to advance this priority.

I would especially like to thank Boyko Borisov for his dedicated and consistent work on the subject, the parliamentary groups supporting the government, the Bulgarian MEPs". "My position on the subject and contribution to achieving this goal has been for over 10 years - as a member of the European Parliament, of the European Commission, as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs," the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs also stated on the occasion of the Council's decision.

Maria Gabriel pointed out that Bulgaria shows daily its key role in protecting the external borders of the European Union and emphasized that our country has a strong border management system that further strengthens the security of the EU.

"I thank the team next to me for the difficult negotiations and overcoming the difficult, sometimes discouraging, moments. I appreciate our perfect coordination and convincing results with the Minister of the Interior Kalin Stoyanov, on whom I will continue to rely," said Gabriel.

"Thank you to the EU Member States, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU, the General Secretariat and the Legal Service of the Council. Thank you for working together, also during these festive days, to make progress on an important national priority for Bulgaria", the Deputy Prime Minister listed in his thanks.

"It is said in diplomacy that a good compromise is one in which both sides are not completely satisfied. I believe that negotiations led by the defense of the national interest could not have a different result. Let us make it so that with mutual trust and common actions, 2024 to be guided by the pan-European interest. With the adoption of the current Decision of the Council of the EU, Bulgaria becomes a full member of the Schengen area with a phased elimination of control at various types of borders - from the end of March 2024, control at the air and sea borders. In 2024, we will continue to work together for the subsequent abolition of land border controls," added Maria Gabriel.