Bulgaria’s former economy minister, Nikola Stoyanov, recently expressed concern about the country’s ability to enter the Schengen Zone by land borders by 2025. 

As Stoyanov pointed out, the main economic advantage of Schengen membership is that it makes cross-border movement of goods easier, which emphasizes the importance of Schengen for trade and business.

On March 31, Bulgaria and Romania were admitted to the Schengen Zone via their maritime and air borders; however, their land borders have yet to be included. 

Speaking on the “The Day ON Air” program, Stoyanov expressed doubt, pointing to broad economic and financial policies, especially those pertaining to the Eurozone, which he feels make it very unlikely that Bulgaria will be able to join the Schengen Area through land borders by 2025.

As a counterpoint to Stoyanov’s assessment, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte voiced a more sanguine opinion earlier this year, expressing hope that Bulgaria’s land-border integration into the Schengen Zone may be achieved by year’s end. 

The disparity in viewpoints highlights the intricacies and varying anticipations pertaining to Bulgaria’s journey towards complete Schengen membership.