SCHENGEN EXPERTS ENDORSE TECHNICAL REPORTS ON BULGARIA

The Working Party for Schengen Matters (Sch-Eval) endorsed the technical reports on Bulgaria's readiness to join the borderless Schengen Area on Monday.

The reports concerned Bulgaria's Schengen Information System and the Supplementary Information Request at the National Entry (SIS/SIRENE) and land movement.

Bulgaria has covered the Schengen Accession criteria as far as SIS/SIRENE is concerned, while it has to put additional efforts into dealing with its Turkish border, the Bulgarian National Radio announced, citing anonymous Brussels officials.

The Working Party postponed at the end of January the adoption of two technical reports on Bulgaria, while endorsing the report on Romania's Schengen accession.

Once the group adopts the reports, they will be referred to the EU institutions, which are to make the final decision on whether the country can join the border-free Schengen Area in March 2011.

Another group of Brussels experts are scheduled to visit Bulgaria in March for a final check of its readiness to accede to the border-less zone, sourse Sofia News Agency