The caretaker Minister of Justice Krum Zarkov told reporters in Brussels on Tuesday that Bulgaria has never had stronger support from the European institutions for its accession to Schengen. Zarkov was in the Belgian capital to meet with Vice President of the European Commission (EC) Vera Jourova and European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders.
The Bulgarian Minister briefed Jourova and Reynders on the legislative changes Bulgaria had undertaken in the field of the rule of law. According to him, the rule of law in Bulgaria is monitored with the annual report of the EC and by covering the requirements for receiving EU funds under the pandemic economic recovery plan, so no further reports are expected on the completed Cooperation and Verification Mechanism for Bulgaria.
“The issue of Schengen enlargement is on the agenda, and this is no small feat,” Zarkov said. He referenced the Netherlands as the only sceptical country remaining and stated that “we have not given up trying to convince them otherwise”.
The Minister rejected the possibility that Bulgaria and Romania could be separated on the way to Schengen. He was adamant that Bulgaria fulfils all Schengen requirements, yet Bulgarians do not benefit from the ensuing rights.
