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

Still no deal with Austria for Schengen, negotiations are ongoing

Photo: Archive

There is no deal for Bulgaria to accept migrants against Austria's agreement to allow Bulgaria into Schengen by air, Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov told bTV. "We are continuing the negotiations. This is their negotiating position, not the final result. What is acceptable is for Bulgaria to comply with the general European rules. If someone wants other rules that are specific to Bulgaria, this is categorically unacceptable. Regarding the reception of migrants - there are European rules, we will work according to them," said the Prime Minister. 

In front of bTV, Bulgarian Minister of Justice Atanas Slavov also supported the position of Prime Minister Denkov.

The reports  published in the Austrian media that Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner was ready to soften Austria's Schengen veto for Romania and Bulgaria caused reactions from opposition parties. 

Austrian Freedom Party spokesman Hannes Amesbauer accused the ruling Austrian People's Party of a "planned staged retreat" and abandonment of the "Fortress Austria" plan. The MP from the opposition NEOS party, Claudia Gamon, emphasized that Romania and Bulgaria fulfill all the criteria for joining Schengen and it is "impertinence to request to negotiate for something that belongs to them". 

Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen spoke out against Vienna's veto and said their migrant problems came from Hungary, not Bulgaria and Romania, calling for "the government to better protect its investment interests" in the two countries.



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

Photo: Embassy of Bulgaria in Washington

Embassy of Bulgaria in USA hosts a Fulbright alumni reception

The Embassy of Bulgaria in USA hosted a Fulbright alumni reception . For over three decades, the Fulbright  P rogram has played a pivotal role in fostering educational and cultural ties between Bulgaria and the United States. ''Thanks to the..

published on 7/11/25 12:26 PM

National Assembly rejects fourth no-confidence motion against Rosen Zhelyazkov's cabinet

The National Assembly rejected the no-confidence motion against the cabinet of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov. This was the fourth motion of no confidence against the government, this time citing ''failure in the environment and water sector''. 83 MPs..

published on 7/11/25 10:11 AM

Skopje lodges a protest with the Bulgarian ambassador over the term “North Macedonian”

Bulgaria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement following the summoning of the Bulgarian ambassador to North Macedonia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Skopje.  Skopje lodged an official protest with Ambassador Zhelyazko Radukov, as the..

published on 7/11/25 9:38 AM