Ilhan Kyuchyuk

ALDE co-chair Ilhan Kyuchyuk emphasized Bulgaria's imperative for full membership in the Schengen Area during Monday's EU Meets the Balkans Forum in Sofia.

Kyuchyuk asserted that Bulgaria rejects a "quasi-state" status and demands full integration into the Schengen Zone, highlighting the country's potential contributions to EU integration and its added value within the union.

Ilhan Kyuchyuk, a prominent Bulgarian Member of the European Parliament representing "Renew Europe," has expressed a tempered view on Bulgaria's Schengen prospects, suggesting that the country may face delays in its land-based Schengen entry.

MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk, part of the Renew Europe Group, has cautioned against Bulgaria's acceptance of an Air Schengen arrangement, emphasizing its potential harm to the country's standing. In an interview with BNR, Kyuchyuk expressed concern, stating, "It would be pernicious for Bulgaria to agree to an Air Schengen only.

European Parliament members Ilhan Kyuchyuk representing Bulgaria and Vlad Botos representing Romania led a protest at Vienna's Ministry of Interior on Monday, denouncing Austria's stance against Bulgaria's and Romania's Schengen area admission. Austrian MP Helmut Brandstatter joined the demonstration.

Ilhan Kyuchyuk, a Bulgarian MEP representing the Renew Europe Group, alongside Romanian MEP Vlad Botos and Austrian MEP Helmut Brandstätter, are slated to stage a demonstration on December 4 in front of Vienna's Ministry of the Interior. The protest aims to challenge Austria's resistance to Bulgaria and Romania's inclusion in the Schengen area.

Members of the European Parliament from the European People's Party Andrey Kovatchev and from "Renew Europe" Ilhan Kyuchyuk believe that the fifth package of EU sanctions against Russia, which is being prepared, will negatively affect Bulgaria as well.

Andrey Kovachev from the EPP thinks this is inevitable.

Representatives of the governments of Bulgaria and North Macedonia laid wreaths at the grave of Gotse Delchev in the courtyard of the Church of the Holy Savior in Skopje, as part of the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of his birth.

150 Years Since the Birth of Gotse Delchev: Bulgarian President and PM together in Blagoevgrad

President of the Republic of North Macedonia Stevo Pendarovski is on a two-day visit to Brussels, where he is holding a series of working meetings, including with the EP's standing rapporteur for the country, Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Renew Europe Group, Bulgaria).

Addressing the European Parliament (EP) on Thursday, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi encouraged Skopje and Sofia to redouble their efforts to find a mutually acceptable solution to the pending bilateral issues. The EP is expected to vote later in the day on the progress reports on North Macedonia and three other Western Balkan countries.

China on Monday blacklisted 10 EU individuals and four entities in response to Brussels' sanctions against Chinese officials over alleged human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region.