We have Sweden’s full support for Bulgaria’s accession to Schengen, said in an interview for Radio Bulgaria Deputy Prime Minister for European Policies Coordination and Institutional Affairs Meglena Kuneva after her meeting with Morgan Johansson, Minister for Justice and Migration of Sweden and Foreign Minister Margot Wallström.

“I think that there are just three countries at present which are more cautious,” Meglena Kuneva says. “Even if just one of them is against, that would mean failure for Bulgaria’s mission. It was no different, however, during all of the negotiations the country has conducted prior to its accession to the EU. Now it is even more difficult because the situation in Europe is changed, there is more skepticism, less accord with one policy of enlargement or another – the enlargement of Schengen. It is our historical destiny to travel this road. It will not be easy, but I hope that with a lot of effort and wisdom on all sides, we can make it happen.”

Sweden has assumed the commitment to render Bulgaria its support when it comes to the Scandinavian countries before the European Council in June when the issue may be put to discussion. What else are we to expect before the European Council in June?

“I think that Germany is a very important country,” Meglena Kuneva says. “I am expecting all Bulgarian cabinet ministers, the President, the National Assembly President, the Prime Minister to put their weight behind this key national objective. Security is an absolute priority for Bulgaria and for Europe, that must be absolutely clear. I had a series of visits, including to Germany, where I had a meeting with the minister of the interior and meetings at the Bundestag, but commitment at the highest level is crucial.”

The judiciary was on the agenda of the talks the Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister had in Stockholm:

“Sweden is a country with far fewer laws and far fewer bodies for combating corruption, but the level of public intolerance there is extremely high,” Meglena Kuneva goes on to say. “They have also handed the weapon in this fight over to the citizenship. I do not know what people may think of such a measure in this country, we are somewhat hesitant on anonymous tips but in Sweden that is something that is constitutionally guaranteed, including when the anonymous tips come from journalists who are fully entitled to refuse to disclose their sources. What we are waiting and hoping to be done – by the administration, by way of prevention, by inspectors – in Sweden is done by citizens – anyone can be such an inspector, anyone can sound the alert and there will be results. What choice Bulgaria will make is something we must carefully consider and put forward. Our schedule is very tight – by the end of the month we want to put the law to public discussion and to decide what to do about anonymous tips. To my mind, the administration cannot be expanded ad infinitum. That is why looking into anonymous tips and investigating them is a good option, a good opportunity to launch a large-scale zero tolerance for corruption operation. In the final analysis if anyone wants to obtain something illegally, he or she must know the authorities may be tipped off about it anonymously and this plays a preventive role. We shall see how this can prevent abuse. I am sure we shall be able to find a balance,” said for Radio Bulgaria Deputy Prime Minister for European Policies Coordination and Institutional Affairs Meglena Kuneva.

English Milena Daynova