Bulgaria sets up a surveillance system for monitoring the border with Turkey

The Government will entrust the Interior Ministry with the set up of an integrated surveillance system along our border with Turkey. The implementation of the project would cost some €23 mln and would be operational by the year 2015. According to experts, the monitoring would cover the stretch between the border crossing checkpoint Lessovo up to the mouth of the Rezovo River.

Some 75% of the funds needed for the project implementation would be granted under the External Borders Fund of the European Union. The remaining resources will be allocated each year by the state budget. The implementation of the system will increase the security along the Bulgarian-Turkish border, defined as one of the external borders of the EU with high migration pressure on the side of citizens from third countries.

In the meantime, Germany announced its opposition to the rapid accession of Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen area, which will put an end to all border checks. This was declared by German Interior Minister, Hans-Peter Friedrich, in an interview for the German, Muenchner Merkur daily. According to Friedrich, a compromise could be reached whereby air and sea controls would be eliminated. The next stage, however, the opening of land borders should not occur automatically. Schengen area member states should first convince themselves that a considerable progress has been achieved in the fight against organized crime. He expressed confidence that France would support Germany's position. Friedrich added that a new review on the achievements of Sofia and Bucharest would take place in the summer of next year.

On Monday, the Spokesman of the German Interior Minister announced that "in view of the negative reports, Germany regards skeptically the desire of Bulgaria and Romania to join the Schengen zone." He also pointed out that there would be pending talks on the issue with France and the Netherlands this week. Afterwards, Hans-Peter Friedrich will visit Sofia. On September 22 - 23 there will be a meeting of the EU interior ministers, which will make clear the official standpoint of the European Community on the forthcoming expansion of the Schengen area. 

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