GERB-UDF leader Boyko Borissov to Austria on Schengen: This is not the way Europe should work

GERB leader Boyko Borissov urged the Austrian authorities to reconsider their decision to block Bulgaria and Romania's accession to Schengen by land. He addressed the authorities in Vienna on March 6 from the rostrum of the EPP congress, which is taking place in Bucharest.

"Just 60 kilometres from this hall is Danube Bridge 2, where there is a kilometres long queue of trucks. And I think that colleagues from Austria can go for 30-40 minutes to see what an ecological, anti-green environment exists there. Hundreds of people - lorry drivers - spend many hours there.

Look, we are in 21st century. This is not the way Europe should work. And I think whatever elections and domestic political problems a country has, it should not solve them through others," he said.

Borissov pointed out that for three years - after the end of GERB's governance - the border has not been well guarded, but said there is now reliable security.

"I promise that we will make and we are making sure that the Austrians and the Europeans will be secure in our Schengen border. I promise you and I beg you because neither Bulgaria nor Romania deserves to have people standing on bridges alive for days on end - leave the goods, the cargo and the losses. Aren't we all green now?", Borissov said.

At the EPP congress, Boyko Borissov declared the support of GERB-UDF to the candidacy of Ursula von der Leyen for a new mandate at the head of the European Commission.

Borissov pointed out that for three years - after the end of GERB's governance - the border has not been well guarded, but said there is now reliable security.

"I promise that we will make and we are making sure that the Austrians and the Europeans will be secure in our Schengen border. I promise you and I kindly ask you, because neither Bulgaria nor Romania deserves to have alive people standing on bridges for days on end, as well as goods, cargo and losses. Aren't we all green now?", Borissov said.

At the EPP congress Boyko Borissov declared the support of GERB-UDF to the candidacy of Ursula von der Leyen for a new term in office as the head of the European Commission.

GERB leader also highlighted the military aid Bulgaria has provided to Ukraine. In his words, Bulgaria has helped Kiev much more than many large countries in Europe.

"Bulgaria can say that it has given and helped Ukraine much more than the big countries in Europe. With ammunition - exactly what they need, with APCs, with tanks and artillery, with everything that the Bulgarian Parliament decided and sent to Ukraine. This armament is that it goes directly to the front, because Ukrainian soldiers and officers use exactly these weapons. So I can say, on behalf of Bulgaria, that in this war, Bulgaria did much more than its counterparts in countries with much more capabilities," he said.

On the sidelines of the EPP congress in Bucharest, Borissov had talks with Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and former Ukrainian Prime Minister, Yulia Tymoshenko.

"I congratulated Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Yulia Tymoshenko and once again testified our support in the fight against Russian aggression and Putin's regime," the GERB leader wrote in a social media post.