Schengen Area

Austria's Minister of the Interior, Gerhard Karner, has announced that Austria will adopt a cautious approach towards Bulgaria's full accession to the Schengen area. Karner emphasized that Austria will withhold its decision until the effects of Bulgaria's entry into Schengen by air and water are assessed thoroughly.

In a bid to bolster border management and migration control, the European Commission (EC) has announced its decision to allocate 85 million euros to Bulgaria and Romania.

Nicolas Schmit, the newly-elected president of the Party of European Socialists (PES), has voiced his support for Bulgaria's full accession to the Schengen Area. Speaking at a press briefing following his election at a PES congress held in Rome, Schmit emphasized the importance of Bulgaria's integration into the Schengen Zone.

Turkish borders crossing into Europe have witnessed tightened controls on vehicles entering and exiting, causing long lines and wait times, ahead of Bulgaria and Romania's partial inclusion into the Schengen zone from March 31.

The European Union's border agency Frontex said on Thursday it will triple the number of its officers in Bulgaria from next month to help stem the amount of people crossing into the bloc from Turkey.

Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, is set to bolster border security in Bulgaria by dispatching between 500 and 600 of its personnel to the country, announced the agency's director during a visit to Bulgaria. The move aims to address migrant pressure and enhance border protection along the Bulgarian-Turkish and Bulgarian-Serbian borders.

Austria's Minister of the Interior, Gerhard Karner, has reiterated his steadfast opposition to the full admission of Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen area, particularly via land borders. Karner emphasized the importance of adhering to the agreed-upon entry terms for Bulgaria and Romania, which currently only allow for air and sea access.

Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis expressed optimism about Bulgaria's full accession to the Schengen area during his visit to Sofia. In a joint briefing with Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel, Gerapetritis emphasized the positive impact of Bulgaria's Schengen membership on bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Greece.

According to a report on Bloomberg, the Cyprus Golden Visa Program, led by Astons, has surged in popularity, enticing investors and lifestyle seekers with its promise of stability and opportunity.

In a parliamentary control session today, Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov disclosed that refugee centers across the nation are currently operating at just 50% capacity, attributing the decline to the recent implementation of the air and sea Schengen agreement.