Barroso: Bulgaria meets all Schengen requirements

The European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso Thursday evening reiterated Commission's support for Bulgaria's accession to Schengen. Barroso, who arrived in Sofia to participate in a European People's Party Bureau Group Meeting, told a joint press conference with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov that Bulgaria has met all the necessary Schengen requirements. According to Barroso, it was a matter of justice Bulgaria and Bulgarian citizens to enjoy the freedom of travel and all the benefits of the Schengen memberships. However, he added that each government has the right to take its own decisions. Bulgaria and Romania had hoped to join Schengen this March but some Schengen members such as Netherlands and Finland have blocked their efforts expressing reluctance due to concerns over corruption and security situation in the two Balkan states.