Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Bulgaria and Romania should be in Schengen by end of 2023, European Parliament says

Photo: EPA/BGNES

In a resolution adopted on Wednesday with 526 votes in favour, 57 votes against, and 42 abstaining, Parliament stresses that both countries have already fulfilled the necessary requirements to be admitted into Schengen. 

MEPs regret the Council’s decision of 8 December 2022 to reject their membership “without presenting any legal justification related to accession criteria”. A larger Schengen area without border controls would make the EU stronger, say MEPs, noting that all member states have the right to join Schengen once they are ready. The fact that Romania and Bulgaria are still outside the visa-free travel area burdens the businesses and populations of the two countries socially and economically, according to Parliament.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Income inequality in Bulgaria is widening

Income inequality in Bulgaria over a 30 year-period has been lower than the global average, but since 2014 it has been higher than the average levels in the EU, reads an analysis by the Economic and Social Council, the BNR’s reporter Tsvetelina..

published on 6/11/25 6:33 PM

Research Center Trend: 41% of Bulgarians say they have difficulty accessing quality food

Only 6% of Bulgarians lead a healthy lifestyle, according to a sociological survey conducted by the Research Center Trend, commissioned by the Health Metrics company. 42% of respondents say they "rather" lead a healthy lifestyle, while 35% say..

published on 6/11/25 5:31 PM
Kresna Gorge

Struma Highway will pass outside the Kresna Gorge

Bulgaria's Road Infrastructure Agency has announced that environmental activists have withdrawn their complaints and terminated the cases related to the construction of the last unfinished section of the Struma Highway through the Kresna Gorge. Given..

published on 6/11/25 3:38 PM