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

Accession to Schengen for Bulgaria and Romania by the end of 2023 can be considered a certainty, euractiv.bg writes

Photo: archive

The European institutions are getting ready to welcome Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen area as early as in 2023. Entry into the border-free area can be considered a certainty, writes euractiv.bg, citing diplomatic sources in Brussels and in Sofia. This is going to take place in two stages – first for the airports as of October, and then for the land borders as of 1 January, 2024.

The biggest obstacle to Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area was the position of the Netherlands. Mark Rutte’s government has given the signal that it highly appreciates Bulgaria’s efforts to carry through a judicial reform. There is one more reason why Schengen’s door is opening – the election of a regular pro-European government in Sofia.

Austria’s objections to the enlargement of the Schengen area, against the background of the refugee crisis, have not been dropped, but Vienna is not expected to stand in the way of the two Balkan countries any more if it remains the only EU countries which is against, euractiv.bg adds. 



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

Warm weather is back

On Wednesday, lows will be between 5 and 10°C, with Sofia around 7°C. The sky will be mostly sunny, with some clouds in the eastern areas before midday. Light to moderate winds will blow from the south-east. Maximum temperatures will be between 19 and..

published on 4/15/25 7:05 PM

DPS-DPS party to decide whether to continue supporting the government

The operational leadership of DPS-DPS party met to decide whether to continue its support for the government. This is happening a day before the discussion of the second vote of no confidence in the "Zhelyazkov" cabinet on the topic of corruption...

published on 4/15/25 5:45 PM

Housing prices in Bulgaria have increased 2-3 times in 10 years

Over the past 10 years, housing prices in Sofia have tripled, and in large cities more than doubled. This is according to data from one of the largest brokerage companies on the Bulgarian market.  "If in 2015 in Sofia you could buy a home..

published on 4/15/25 5:03 PM