The attack on the French satirical publication Charlie Hebdo has placed security in Europe on top of the agenda, and along with it, Bulgaria's accession to Schengen, an aspiration of this country for many years. Over all those years however, local politicians have failed to point to the strategic usefulness of accession apart from prestige that is nothing more than a lapel pin.

Deputy PM Meglena Kuneva has made no exception to the rule. She recently demanded fast accession of Bulgaria to Schengen, and quoted public opinion polls suggesting that 57% of Bulgarians support accession. There are no figures available however to explain whether those 57% back Schengen accession for purely image-building reasons. A discussion about the role of the Agreement in the context of the Islamic State threat and the refugee pressure on the country's southern border has failed to take place.  
 
Bulgaria is explicit that the Schengen Agreement enforcement in this country should be a priority not only for Bulgaria itself but for Europe as well. Europe however is not unanimous about this issue. Despite compliance with technical criteria back in 2012 a few EU countries including blue chip Germany oppose Bulgaria's accession. In the meantime, European Parliament President Martin Schulz told the Bulgarian National Radio that Bulgaria and Romania's accession to Schengen should become part and parcel of the debates on Europe's new security strategy. "Given the need of stronger security we have to discuss with Bulgaria and Romania their capacity to defend their outer borders”, Schultz said. Whoever bothers to read between the lines, will realize that Bulgaria's accession won't be happening in the near future. The reasons are the growing jihadist threat and the new refugee wave expected in the spring.  
 
On New Year's Eve the almost ubiquitous border control on EU's outer border between Bulgaria and Turkey did produce results: while trying to leave EU French national Fritz-Jolie Joachim was intercepted known for having been in close contact with one of the Paris attackers, Cherif Kouachi. In fact the bloody attack in the French capital has acted as a catalyst for mixed messages from the interior ministers of the Schengen countries. Some of them have spoken up for the Agreement's revision. "We are going to back the restoration of border control and we do not rule out the need to revise the agreement", said Spanish Interior Minister Jorge Fernández Díaz in an interview for El País newspaper. It is crystal clear that open borders provide a trump card in the hands of terrorists. In turn, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has also voiced the concern of Europe's political class over security. "The Schengen Agreement is subject to revision so as to make sure we boost the effectiveness of fighting terrorism”, Juncker said and announced that specific proposals were expected after the meeting of EU foreign ministers in February. Admitting that the Kouachi brothers had been under surveillance of the Schengen security system, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière has formulated the new task of the EU outer border countries as follows: "Any border policeman should at any moment be able to recognize a potential or active terrorist traveling to a point of conflict in the world." 
 
In this grim context the political messages from Sofia about Bulgaria's fast accession to the Schengen Area should not be taken seriously. Pointing to compliance with technical criteria could be enough for domestic use so that 57% of Bulgarians have motivation to back accession. However these arguments are hardly convincing for Bulgaria's EU partners deeply concerned over their security.  
 
English Daniela Konstantinova