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

The National Assembly accepts the resignation of Kiril Petkov

With a majority of 197 votes and eight “abstentions”, the MPs accepted the resignation of the former co-chairman of “We Continue the Change” Kiril Petkov as an MP. He took political responsibility for the corruption scandal in..

published on 7/3/25 10:31 AM

New tanker control zone in Burgas because of air pollution

The authorities in Burgas are introducing a 35-kilometer security zone in the waters of the Burgas Bay, where waiting tankers will not be allowed, BTA reported. The measure is in response to growing public discontent over the strong..

published on 7/3/25 9:56 AM
Photo: Team of the film “The Artist’s Daughter”

Bulgarian animation presented at the EU Film Days 2025 in Tokyo

Bulgarian short animated film “The Artist’s Daughter” will be presented today in Tokyo as part of the EU Film Days, BTA reports. The animation is part of the festival program in the “Memory and History” section. “The Artist’s..

published on 7/3/25 9:33 AM