French State Secretary for European Affairs confirms support for Bulgaria's accession to Schengen, says Deputy Prime Minister Gabriel

France's Secretary of State for European Affairs Laurence Boone confirmed Paris' support for Bulgaria's accession to Schengen in a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel during the 18th annual Bled Strategic Forum in Slovenia, said  Gabriel on her Facebook page.

The discussion focused on deepening bilateral relations in the field of energy and connectivity. Boone and Gabriel also discussed the EU enlargement policy and the 30th anniversary of Bulgaria's accession to the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, added Gabriel.

The protection of human rights and their importance for regional stability and European integration was at the centre of the Foreign Minister's conversation with the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatovic.

The highlight of Gabriel's meeting with the Chair of the Coordination Council in Belarus,  Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, was the European support for initiatives in Belarus in favour of civil society and the observance of basic democratic principles and values such as the rule of law, protection of human rights, freedom and equality, the Deputy prime Minister said.

Earlier on Tuesday, during the forum in Bled, the Foreign Minister also had meetings with OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, Peter Szijjarto and the Minister of European Integration of Serbia, Tanja Miscevic.