Schengen Area

The European Commission has submitted a proposal for the introduction of an additional system for border control of foreigners who have the right to travel to the EU without a visa, reported BTA.

The European Commission on Wednesday called for the introduction of prior security checks for visa-free travellers entering the EU's passport-free Schengen zone in order to prevent potential terrorist threats.

If the proposal is approved, citizens of Balkan countries that do not need visas to travel to Western Europe will have to undergo online security checks.

Millions of tourists and business people visiting Europe will have to complete a 5 euro ($5.35) online security check before arrival if an EU plan to tighten controls on foreigners who do not need visas wins approval.

The EU has allowed 5 states in Schengen to continue the checks for illegal migrants along their internal land frontiers until February 2017.

The final decision was adopted by the governments of the member-states after a proposal by the European Commission.

Turkey does not fulfill seven of the requirements for the abolition of the visa regime. We reckon that two of these requirements cannot be fulfilled at present, stated a spokesperson of the European Commission, cited by bTV.

The conditions for the abolition of the visa regime are conditions. When they are fulfilled, the visa regime will be abolished, added the spokesperson.

Temporary border controls set up inside the European Union's free-travel zone to cope with the migration crisis should be extended beyond a November 15 expiry, the European Commission proposed on Tuesday.

Slovenia's decision to erect metal panels and other barriers on its border with Croatia, to tackle a potential surge in refugees, will increase people-smuggling and could lead to violence, Croatian experts have said.

The Bulgarian government has allocated an additional BGN 20 M to three southeastern regions where a fence is being built along the border with Turkey.

Over 100,000 mainly young, educated Macedonians have acquired EU passports in the past ten years, searching for employment and a better life abroad, European statistical data show.

The preferred way for Macedonians to obtain the right to work in the EU is by getting a passport from neighbouring Bulgaria.

Border checks in Schengen must continue after the deadline in the middle of November, stated the Austrian and German Interior Ministers, cited by Reuters.

Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Austria introduced extraordinary checks, despite the fact that they are Schengen members, due to the flood of migrants last year.