Nickolay Mladenov: The border does not separate, but brings together- this is the philosophy behind Schengen
17 December 2010 News
"The big problem of the EU now and for the last few years is abiding the rules", the Foreign Minister Nickolay Mladenov stated during the Round table discussions on Bulgaria’s accession into the Schengen area. The event was organized by the Bulgarian MEP’s from the EPP. According to the Bulgarian Foreign Minister, „Schengen is also a system of rules, and Bulgaria wants and can work to meet precisely these rules; compliance to these regulations is not only important for the security of our allies in the EU but also for our own security”, Nickolay Mladenov said.
The Minister described our country as „capable to bear this responsibility”, not merely to become part of the Schengen area but in the long term-stable in line with the highest level of requirements that the EU imposes.
„Bulgaria has invested much efforts to ensure the utmost security of its citizens, efforts, even beyond the commitments required by the Schengen criteria, said Nickolay Mladenov.
The specific steps that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has undertaken in order for the country to effectively perform its functions of an external border of the EU are the recent reserve visa center that can guarantee the security of SIS, and in the Bulgarian consulates abroad a system that can technologically ensure the work with biometric visas was put into practice.
„We are working hard and we hope that this would be positively valued”, added Nickolay Mladenov.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov, the Minister of Defence Anuy Angelov, the Belgian Ambassador to Bulgaria Mark Mihelsen and of Hungary Judit Lang also took part in the event.