Following Bulgaria’s full membership, the flow of travelers in Schengen has increased, said European Commissioner Magnus Brunner

KULATA-PROMAHON/SOFIA – Since Bulgaria became a full member of Schengen, the flow of travelers has increased, and this is one of our great achievements over the past decades that we can be proud of, said the European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Bruner during his visit to Bulgaria. He visited the “Kulata – Promahon” border crossing together with the Bulgarian Minister of Interior Daniel Mitov and the Greek Deputy Minister for Migration and Asylum Sevi Voludaki. The three crossed into Greek territory together, marking the free movement without border checks in Schengen.

When we talk about the external borders of Schengen, we do not only mean the borders of Greece and Bulgaria, Bruner said. These are actually the external borders of the entire European Union. It is our duty to continuously strive to improve Schengen, which means better cooperation and implementation of policies in the member states, added Commissioner Bruner. According to him, the main focus for future cooperation will be related to the challenges of migration, the implementation of the Migration Pact, and successful methods for its management. First and foremost in our efforts is to properly arrange our own European home and to work on our cooperation with third countries, said Magnus Bruner.

Prior to that, the Commissioner also met with Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov in Sofia to discuss the Migration and Asylum Pact, migration management, Bulgaria’s integration into Schengen, and border management. Securing the external European border and preventing illegal migration remain key priorities for Bulgaria, Zhelyazkov stated, as quoted by the cabinet’s press service. During the conversation, the Prime Minister highlighted the support provided by the European Commission to Bulgaria amounting to over 300 million euros in the last three years – for integrated border monitoring, high-mobility vehicles, and drones. Zhelyazkov and Bruner agreed that this is an important investment not only for Bulgaria but also for the security of the European Union as a whole.

According to Zhelyazkov, since September 2023, there has been a continuous trend of sustainable reduction in migration pressure along the external land border with Turkey. He added that strengthening the external borders of the EU should be a shared priority for all member states, not just those on the front line.

In an interview with BTA on the eve of his visit to Sofia, Magnus Bruner stated that to preserve what has been achieved over the last 40 years for another 40 or more years, Schengen will need to be constantly renewed. And Bulgaria has an important role in realizing this, he added.
“Schengen is one of the greatest achievements of our union. It has a direct impact on the lives of over 450 million Europeans – it promotes tourism, makes goods cheaper, and creates opportunities for work and learning,” said Bruner. He added that with the approach of the summer holidays, millions of EU citizens will enjoy one of the main advantages of Schengen: the ability to travel to another Schengen country without additional bureaucracy, and this year for the first time, Bulgarian citizens will fully benefit from this freedom. (June 30)