We will confirm before the Italian parliament that the accession of Bulgaria to Schengen should become a fact, Ms. Margherita Boniver, Chair of the Control Committee on the implementation of the Schengen Agreement, in charge of the oversight of Europol’s operations and the oversight of emigration in the two chambers of the Italian parliament announced. The parliamentary delegation led by her has met with the President of the National Assembly Mrs. Tsetska Tsacheva and with its Vice-President Mr. Anastas Anastasov.
 
After the talks, in a statement for the media, Margherita Boniver noted the Italian parliamentarians had received an adequate information related to the steps to be undertaken by Bulgaria in the next several months with respect to its accession to Schengen. She noticed Italy has never objected the accession of Bulgaria. Mrs. Boniver recalled that Italy has abandonned the restrictions for Bulgarians to work on the territory of her country.

Ms. Boniver declared: “You may be sure that our visit, in which we had meetings and exchange of opinions and studied the situation in Bulgaria, gives us confidence to confirm before the Italian parliament the big steps forward made by Bulgaria and that its joining should become a fact.” She expressed confidence that the measures undertaken by Bulgaria to improve the security of the country’s exterior borders and for reforms in the legal system will be successful.

In the words of Mr. Anastas Anastasov, Vice-President of the National Assembly and Chairman of the Parliamentary Internal Security Committee this was a friends’ visit. He expressed gratitude for the consistent policy of Italy in regards to the accession of Bulgaria to NATO, the EU and now to the Schengen Agreement. He emphasized that Bulgaria had fulfilled the requirements in every field. He said during the visit the Italian delegation will get to know what the institutions are doing in order to convince all its partners in the EU to give up their doubts about the readiness of Bulgaria to become member of Schengen, as is the case with the Netherlands currently. Bulgaria has done its homework.

The Italian delegation has met with members of the Internal Security and Public Order Committee as well as with members of the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Defense and on European Affairs.