The Prime Ministers of Bulgaria and Hungary, Boyko Borisov (L) and Viktor Orb?n, as the latter was visiting Bulgaria on September 13-14, 2016. Photo: GIS
Hungary has partly backtracked on its strong support for Bulgaria's entry into the Schengen borderless area, with an official saying the accession criteria should be met first.
The position announced by government spokesman Zolt?n Kov?cs has been reported by Brussels-based website EurActiv.
"You know the Hungarian position, we have been very supportive. But it goes with the Schengen criteria," EurActiv quotes him as saying in response to a question why he did not repeat his country's position that Romania and Bulgaria should join Schengen.
"The Schengen protocol, the Schengen criteria must be kept."
Kov?cs has pointed to the visit of Prime Minister Viktor Orb?n to Bulgaria as a proof of Budapest being "interested in having the first line of defense in Bulgaria" alongside other EU governments.
"The “flexible solidarity” of Hungary appears to imply that Budapest would like Bulgaria to stay outside Schengen, so it can be a buffer zone for migrants, protecting Schengen," the website concludes.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov himself stated at the Bratislava meeting of EU leaders last week his country was not immediately interested in joining, after having insisted in years that the country is ready to do so.