Border control

The Main Directorate of the Border Police has temporarily suspended three border officers assigned to the Strezimirovtsi border crossing on the day of 49-year-old Kiril Rusev's murder. The officers faced suspension after two defendants in the murder case, Alexander Kinov and Petar Alexnadrov, attempted to manipulate the situation by crossing the Serbian border using Rusev's identity card.

After more than a decade of anticipation, Bulgaria, together with Romania, has finally gained entry into the Schengen area. However, the initial approval, effective from March 2024, is limited to air and sea routes exclusively. This development signifies the end of passport checks for flights connecting Bulgaria to the broader European landscape, promising smoother travel processes.

Bulgaria's major airports, including Sofia, Varna, Burgas, and Plovdiv, have confirmed their readiness for Bulgaria's upcoming inclusion in the Schengen area by air, slated for March 31. These airports anticipate a seamless transition, assuring improved passenger processing and reduced wait times for travelers to and from Schengen member states.

Romania's Schengen accession on March 31 brings about notable changes at Bucharest's Henri Coanda International Airport as Austrian officers will collaborate with Romanian counterparts in passport and document scrutiny. The collaboration aims to enhance border security and streamline identity verification processes for travelers entering the Schengen zone.

The Council of the European Union's decision to welcome Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen zone by air and water starting March 31, 2024, has been formally published in the Official Journal of the EU. This momentous announcement marks a significant milestone for both nations, signifying their long-awaited accession into the Schengen community.

The Austrian government has specified five prerequisites for potentially lifting checks at Schengen land borders for Bulgarian and Romanian citizens, as detailed in a statement released after the European Council's decision to open air and sea borders for both countries on December 29.

UPDATE: The European Commission and Bulgaria confirmed that there is no obligation to accept additional refugees. Read more about this new information here.

Yavor Serafimov, Director of the General Directorate Combating Organised Crime, revealed a substantial drop in human trafficking across the country's borders, marking a 50% decrease since mid-year. Speaking on bTV, Serafimov highlighted that while no border is impenetrable, the Bulgaria-Turkey land border stands as the world's second busiest and Europe's most active.

Some of the country's border crossings are experiencing substantial traffic volumes, causing delays and temporary disruptions in travel.

Anton Zlatanov, the director of Bulgaria's Border Police, addressed Austria's requirements for Bulgaria's entry into Schengen, calling them potentially political rather than professional. In an interview with жTV, Zlatanov expressed uncertainty regarding the stipulations put forth by Austria and highlighted the lack of concrete professional arguments against Bulgaria's entry into Schengen.