EU President Optimistic about Bulgaria, Romania’s Schengen Accession in Sept
European Council President Herman van Rompuy, who arrived on a one-day visit to Sofia on Wednesday, said he is optimistic that a decision on Bulgaria and Romania's accession to the visa-free Schengen area will be taken in September.
The collapse of the Dutch government and the growing political crisis there will not affect the two country's Schengen accession, Rompuy said, as quoted by the state-run Bulgarian National Television. He praised Sofia and Bucharest for agreeing to take further steps to boost confidence in their capabilities to guaranty border protection.
Europe's energy policy and the possibilities for diversification of gas supplies were in the highlights of a meeting between Rompuy and prime minister Boiko Borisov.
Later in the day the two attended the opening of a new section of Sofia's underground railway whose construction was financed with EU funds.