Expats

Bulgaria Opens Doors to Schengen Visa Holders [Jan 26, 2012] Holders of Schengen visas will be able to visit and stay in Bulgaria without Bulgarian visas, the Bulgarian Cabinet decided on Wednesday. The move is supposed to bring about a boost in foreign tourist numbers and foreign direct investment, according to the Bulgarian Cabinet. Accepting a proposal by the Prime Minister, the Cabinet today decided that until the date of Bulgaria's full accession to ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Should Aim for Joining Club of Rich Nations ? Ex Foreign Minister [Jan 17, 2012] Bulgaria's long-term goal should be its accession to the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) and even the G20 club of rich countries, according to former Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passy. Passy spoke during a discussion on the fifth anniversary of Bulgaria's accession to the EU organized by the Economic Policy Institute with the support of the Friedrich Ebert ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Unexcited Bulgaria Marks 5 Years as EU Member [Jan 01, 2012] Bulgaria and Romania are marking Sunday, January 1, 2012, five years since they joined the European Union as full member states ? a step that many across the EU still describe as premature. Bulgaria and Romania's accession meant the EU had 27 members and half a billion people, stretching as far east as the Black Sea. The two Balkan states, however, are still struggling with reforms in key ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria's Top Diplomat Hails Finland's Stand on Schengen [Nov 16, 2011] Bulgaria's Foreign Affairs Minister, Nikolay Mladenov, has extended accolades to Finland's new position on the country's Schengen accession. Mladenov said Sofia is applauding the news and voices certainty the change came through a careful analysis of achievements of both Bulgaria and Romania in securing border control. "This is a great development for us.... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria, Czech Republic Vow to Steer Clear of 'Euro Zone Debt Union' [Oct 04, 2011] The Prime Ministers of Bulgaria and the Czech Republic have made it clear their nations will abstain from seeking accession to the euro zone for the time being because of the ongoing debt crises. "We will join the euro zone when we see clear rules over there. Otherwise, it is turning from a pillar of stability into a place to give money, to support those in trouble, and its aims is actually ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria, Romania's Schengen Applications Formally Vetoed [Sep 22, 2011] The Netherlands and Finland have expectedly vetoed the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the visa-free Schengen Area at the meeting of the EU Interior Ministers in Brussels. The Netherlands formally decided to veto Bulgaria and Romania's Schengen accession at the end of last week, and Finland did so on Wednesday. The vetoes on the Schengen Agreement bids of the two Balkan states have been ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria, Romania to Be Turned Down for Schengen - Report [Sep 21, 2011] The applications of Bulgaria and Romania to join the visa-free Schengen Area will be turned down by the EU/Schengen Interior Ministers on Thursday, September 22, according to diplomatic sources. After the Netherlands formally decided to veto Bulgaria and Romania's Schengen accession at the end of last week, and Finland did so on Wednesday, diplomatic sources have been cited by international ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Hopes for 'Partial' Schengen Entry Despite 'Unfair' Dutch Veto - Parliament Chair [Sep 17, 2011] In spite of the declared Dutch veto on Bulgaria's Schengen Area accession, Bulgaria could still be allowed to join "partially", according to Bulgarian Parliament Chair Tsetska Tsacheva. Tsacheva spoke to reporters Saturday afternoon in the town of Koynare, Pleven District, after Friday night the government of the Netherlands made it clear it will veto Bulgaria and Romania's Schengen entry, which ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Hopes for Schengen Entry Date on Sept 22 [Sep 13, 2011] Bulgaria expects to be given a date for accession to the Schengen free movement area at the upcoming External Affairs EU Council September 22, stated the Bulgarian Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Tuesday. "Sofia hopes to be given a date to enter Schengen at the next EU External Affairs Council," said Vesela Cherneva, adding that the country expects any further delay to not stretch beyond ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria to Play It Cool on Euro Zone Bid over Debt Crises - FinMin [Jul 22, 2011] Bulgaria has not changed its intention to join the euro zone but it does not expect to start specific talks for accession to the ERM-2 before the situation with the euro zone debt crises clears, according to Finance Minister Simeon Djankov. "We are not going to start preliminary talks (on joining the euro) in the autumn. Our intentions (to join the euro) are not changed.... [via YahooNews] More >>

Schengen Not Bulgaria's Top Priority - EU Commissioner [Jul 18, 2011] Bulgaria will enter the Schengen Agreement, but its accession to the European border-free zone is not its highest prioriry right now, according to the country's EU Commissioner, Kristalina Georgieva. "We are technically ready to join Schengen, but its hardly a priority for the Bulgarian nation," Georgieva said Monday, as cited by the BGNES news agency. She added that keeping stability is the ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria, Romania Schengen Entry to Boost Illegal Immigration - Europol [Jun 14, 2011] The upcoming Bulgarian and Romanian accession to Europe's border-free zone may result in more illegal immigration through the Greek-Turkish border, according to a Europol expert. "The potential Bulgarian and Romanian Schengen entry...may increase the immigration pressure upon the Greek-Turkish border and the Bulgarian Black Sea border may become an immigration target," Jean Dominique Nollet, who ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Says Ready to Join Schengen Right Now [Jun 08, 2011] Bulgaria's government, which is struggling to ensure swift entry into the EU border-free Schengen area, has reiterated the country has met all conditions for accession. "Bulgaria and Romania have met all the conditions to gain Schengen rights," the Bulgarian government said in a statement on Wednesday as the European Parliament gave the green light to its accession. "We have introduced the best ... [via YahooNews] More >>

EP Rapporteur: Bulgaria, Romania Must Enter Schengen Now [Jun 07, 2011] Bulgaria and Romania have fulfilled technical criteria and must be accepted to Schengen, stated in his speech MEP Carlo Coelho, the EP rapporteur on the Schengen accession of the two countries. "The citizens of Bulgaria and Romania must be able to enjoy the same rights as the other citizens of the European Union," stated the MEP. Reporting in plenary Tuesday, the Portugese EPP MEP stated that ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Should Negotiate Fairer Terms of Eurozone Accession - Analyst [May 30, 2011] Georgi Angelov, senior economist at the Open Society Institute, warned of the risks accompanying Bulgaria's Eurozone accession during a discussion organized Monday by Bulgaria's Economic Policy Institute and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation. "Bulgaria could benefit from joining the Eurozone on two conditions- if the Eurozone did not fall apart and if we did not have to pay an extraordionately high ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Marks Anniversary of EU Accession Treaty [Apr 25, 2011] Monday marks the 6th anniversary of the 2005 signing of the Treaty of Accession of Bulgaria to the European Union. The Treaty was signed on April 25, 2005 in Luxemburg by then- and current Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov, then-PM Simeon Saxe-Coburg, and then-Ministers of Foreign Affairs Solomon Passy and of European Affairs Meglena Kuneva. This was a major step forward for Bulgaria, which ... [via YahooNews] More >>

PM: Bulgaria's Schengen Entry to Ease EU Refugee Pressure [Apr 18, 2011] Bulgaria's prime minister, who is struggling to ensure swift entry into the EU border-free Schengen area, has said the country's accession will benefit the whole European block. "The Bulgarian government is seeking entry into the Schengen zone not only because of the welfare of the Bulgarian citizens, but also in a bid to help the European Union cope with the mighty wave of refugees," Boyko ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Austria supports Bulgaria's Schengen entry [Mar 08, 2011] Austria supports Bulgaria's efforts toward accession to the Schengen Area, said Austrian Federal President Heinz Fischer on Monday. Fischer made the remarks during his talks with visiting Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov. [via YahooNews] More >>

MEP: Bulgaria to Join Schengen with All Borders at Once [Feb 24, 2011] Bulgaria joining the Schengen Agreement on a stage-by-stage basis is not a good idea, Carlos Coelho, EP rapporteur on the subject, stated on Thursday. . In January, Marian Titulescu, the head of the Romanian Foreign Ministry's Schengen Department, said the Hungarian Presidency of EU considers a partial Bulgarian and Romanian Schengen accession in March 2011, with the two countries initially ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Vows Perfect Fitness for Schengen End-March [Feb 24, 2011] Bulgaria's prime minister, who is struggling to ensure swift entry into the EU border-free Schengen area, has said the country will be totally fit for accession at the end of March. "Bulgaria is preparing for its Schengen entry according to schedule and I am confident that we will be fully ready for accession on March 24-25, when the last check on the security of our borders will be carried out ... [via YahooNews] More >>