Strengthening the protection of the external borders of the EU was agreed in Budapest today Bulgaria, Romania, Austria and Hungary. This decision is seen as the last step before the final elimination of the obstacles to our entry into the Schengen area, since we have been part of the air and water Schengen since March. It is now expected to become clear on December 12 whether the EU Council of Interior Ministers will give us the green light.
„Against the background of the painful domestic political events, we need to pat ourselves on the back that we have done something as people”, commented the vice president of the Atlantic Club Elena Poptodorova in the “Interview after NOVA News”.
„What happened today in Budapest is no accident. All the factors that spoke publicly about our case, there was not even a evasiveness in their feedback, in their opinions. There is a consolidated, positive opinion for moving through the last, shortest, hopefully until December 12, phase for starting the process," Poptodorova said.
She doesn't believe anything will go wrong in this process.
„We entered air and sea Schengen. And all these months we were checking. This was also heard in the words of the Commissioner for Internal Affairs - we have not caused any hesitation, doubt that we are causing uncertainty in the general guarantees for the security of the Union. It was a test – will we cope with this first phase of border control”, Poptodorova thinks.
„Austria carried out all steps of verification and control. "We were in good faith and earned today's positive position," she added.
„All national governments are under pressure because of this illegal migration. That is why the extreme precision with which Bulgaria and Romania were treated is understandable. I think that we have already passed “the past”, we are just waiting for the calendar to come on December 12”, commented Poptodorova.