President Parvanov on a visit to Austria
Austria will support Bulgaria in its bid for Schengen membership on the basis of fulfilled criteria, said President Heinz Fischer at a joint press conference with Bulgarian Head of State Georgi Parvanov at the Vienna-based Hofburg Palace.
Mr Parvanov is on a two-day official visit to Austria. After expressing his gratitude for Austria's support the Bulgarian president assured Mr Fischer that the will of all Bulgarian institutions and political parties, whether ruling ones or opposition, is to fulfill all technical criteria for Schengen membership by mid March.
A very important thing that Mr Fischer said was that Bulgaria should not mix its candidacy for the Schengen area with other mechanisms, criteria and processes, such as the mechanism for cooperation and verification, Mr Parvanov said. /Source: BNR/