Bulgaria has our support for joining Schengen, Belgian Ambassador Frédéric Meurice said.

Today, the traditional conference on the occasion of the start of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), organized by PanEuropa Bulgaria and the Embassy of Belgium in Bulgaria, took place at the House of Europe. The forum offered an opportunity to discuss the upcoming challenges and opportunities facing the EU under the leadership of Belgium.

The conference was opened by Gergana Passy, President of PanEuropa Bulgaria, and Norbert Beckmann-Diеrkes, Head of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Bulgarien Foundation. The event brought together the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Bulgaria, Mariya Gabriel, and the Ambassador of Belgium, H.E. Mr. Frédéric Meurice.

The main focus of the Belgian Presidency’s agenda, which officially began on 1 January 2024, is the continuation of aid to Ukraine. Belgium sets as its primary task the provision of sustainable political, economic, military, humanitarian and legal support to the Ukrainian side.

Ambassador Frédéric Meurice stressed that this presidency will be of key importance for strengthening the EU as an institution and promoting common European values. He stated that Belgium was committed to the protection and promotion of European interests on both an individual and a national basis.

Regarding the rule of law and mechanisms, we will take very seriously during our presidency and exercise the supervision that is needed, Ambassador Meurice added. Protection, strengthening and preparation is the motto of the Belgian Presidency.

Bulgaria has our support for joining Schengen, the ambassador said. In 2024, we should be able to fix the date for the abolition of checks at the road borders, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mariya Gabriel said earlier today at the conference.

The Spanish Presidency managed to cover a very ambitious programme in the past six months and managed to give dynamism to the issue of Bulgaria and Romania’s accession to Schengen, Gergana Passy said at the opening of the forum. Today we turn our eyes to the Belgian Presidency with hope for a new dynamic in the next six months, added Passy.

The conference is organized jointly with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute and the European Commission Representation in Sofia.

To see photos from the event, please visit our gallery:
Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU and Bulgaria’s Perspective, 9 January 2024 – Atlantic Digital Net (adn.bg)