Germany firmly backs Bulgaria's full Schengen membership - Interior Minister Nancy Faeser

Visiting Bulgaria on Monday, German Federal Minister of the Interior and Community Nancy Faeser said that her country's federal government considered it of key importance that Bulgaria met the European Commission's criteria for membership in the Schengen area. According to Germany, these criteria were fully met and implemented in 2023, which is why the country firmly and unanimously backs Bulgaria's full Schengen membership, she said.

Faeser visited the Kapitan Andreevo border control checkpoint together with Bulgarian caretaker Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov. He thanked the German government and Faeser for the high mark and the firm, consistent, and active support for Schengen.

Stoyanov specified that at their meeting, they  discussed bilateral cooperation in internal affairs, border management, and the situation with illegal migration. The Interior Minister presented data showing that since the start of 2024, just over 7,000 third-country nationals have tried to cross the Bulgarian-Turkish border, compared to 27,000 in the same period of 2023.

Asked about the recently adopted Migration and Asylum Pact, Stoyanov said that the document gives all EU Member States the opportunity for solidary responsibility. The active work with the European Commission continues, and in three days Bulgaria will be visited by European Commission for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson. The Pact will be one of the topics on the talks' agenda.

Faeser commented that the Pact's adoption is extremely important for the external borders' protection. There can be open borders in Europe only when the external borders are reliably protected, she stressed. Work has been done on this document for many years; it prevents division in Europe and the EU, sets common standards, and unites, she argued.

Taking a German journalist's question about cases of violence and theft against refugees, Stoyanov said that since the new leadership took office at the Interior Ministry in June 2023, the number of such cases has dropped to single digits. They are investigated by special commissions, and every perpetrator will bear responsibility for their actions, the Minister said.

Stoyanov and Faeser inspected the work of border control authorities at Kapitan Andreevo and the Trilateral Centre for Police and Customs Cooperation between Bulgaria, Turkiye and Greece.