Sofia still out of Schengen zone

Bulgaria is still out of Schengen after Germany opposed to it joining the no borders area. The regime of travel without borders is left for the future, after the meeting of the interior and justice ministers of the European countries in Brussels in the beginning of March. In order for the country to be accepted in the Schengen zone, all ministers have to be unanimous in their approval. According to Germany, Bulgaria has still not met the fundamental conditions required for being accepted in the Schengen area and has to be more decisive and strict when fighting against the corruption in the country. The annual report of the European Union declared that both Bulgaria and Romania have shown progress, but still have to achieve more.

The concern of the German Minister Friedrich, there is a risk that citizens who are outside the European Union can enter Bulgaria and then go to the rest of the European countries if the borders are open and there is lack of control. He claimed that he wants to keep the European Union from such invasion of immigrants. The Schengen zone allows for free travel with no visas and no passports being checked at the borders. Besides that, all European Union citizens are allowed to remain in any state in order to study or to work. Currently, the Schengen zone covers 22 states, members of the European Union, which means approximately 400 million residents. The countries that are not included are Bulgaria and Romania, Cyprus, Ireland and Great Britain. On the other hand, four countries that are not members of the European Union are part of the Schengen agreement and these are Norway and Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.