Bulgaria has tightened controls on goods and merchandise at its land borders from early 2024. The government in Sofia justifies this with the commitments made for full accession to Schengen. According to media reports, more than 7,200 checks were carried out in the first six days of the year.
During the checks, almost 120,000 cigarettes, 5.5 kilograms of tobacco, more than 340 liters of alcohol, 800 liters of motor oil, 1,500 kilograms of detergent, 5,429 electrical appliances, 10,500 toys and 110 perfume products were seized, customs said.
More than 61,000 incorrectly declared items – including electronic hookahs, veterinary medicines and glasses – were seized en route from Austria to Turkey. In addition, six Syrian citizens believed to be heading to Austria were discovered at the border control of the Vidin ferry.
Strict controls until Schengen accession
Border controls will continue at all land checkpoints until Bulgaria joins the Schengen area. After that, Bulgaria will only control the EU’s external borders with Turkey and Serbia, according to customs officials. As reported, controls at the air and sea borders with Bulgaria and Romania will be lifted from March.
“Schengen Air” and Austria’s conditions
Austria, which had blocked the two countries from joining Schengen since December 2022, agreed to the so-called ‘Schengen Air’ at the end of 2023 and imposed three conditions. According to the Austrian Ministry of the Interior, these conditions include increasing the deployment of the EU border protection agency Frontex in Romania and Bulgaria. Austria is also demanding money from the European Commission for the surveillance of these countries’ external borders, increased land border controls and the acceptance of asylum seekers from Austria, especially from Afghanistan and Syria, by Romania and Bulgaria.
Source: Krone
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