Bulgaria

The Schengen area of free movement of goods and persons will was extended to Romania and Bulgaria from Sunday 31 March. The two countries have been waiting seventeen years for this moment, since they joined the European Union. For now, only the maritime and air borders are removed, but land borders should follow in the next few months. Viktor Daněk, deputy director of the EUROPEUM Institute, commented on both the economic benefits and possible risks of partial enlargement for the daily e15.

Our research fellow Žiga Faktor commented on the fall of the bulgarian government in the main news programme of Radio Slovakia. The government there lasted only six months in power. One of the reasons for the fall is, among other things, the dispute over EU enlargement. According to our researcher, recent weeks suggest that Sofia is willing to back down from its Veto, which would give the stagnant enlargement process a new impulse. He also mentions that the political instability in the Balkans suits pro-Russian parties.

Our researcher Jana Juzová was a guest on the Evropa Plus broadcast, where she commented on the complicated relationship between Bulgaria and North Macedonia. She describes today's situation where Bulgaria denies Macedonian identity.

In her latest commentary, our research fellow Jana Juzová focuses on the recent development of the EU enlargement process in the Western Balkans, especially on the Bulgarian rejection of membership talks with Northern Macedonia.

Our researcher Jana Juzová recently published an article on the news portal Info.cz dealing with the European journey of Northern Macedonia and the problems that this country has faced in recent years. It focuses mainly on the complicated relationship between Northern Macedonia and neighboring Bulgaria.

Žiga Faktor authored an EU Monitor on the prospects of Schengen entrance of the states of Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania.

The EU's poorest member state, and said to be its most corrupt, takes up the rotating presidency of the EU Council