Bulgaria Faces Funding Social Aid for Its Citizens in Germany

Bulgaria and Romania should pay the social benefits of their own citizens living in Germany, according to Hans-Peter Friedrich, the German Minister of the Interior.

Friedrich pledged to fight for the above to be passed as law.

Speaking for German TV, and cited by the Bulgarian Trud (Labor) daily, the Minister stressed his country had huge problems with people going there not to study or work, but use the social assistance in search for a better life.

He proposes to stop the draining of German social funds by asking Sofia and Bucharest to pay social assistance for Bulgarians and Romanians in Germany.

Friedrich gave an example with Romania, which had received a total of EUR 3.5 B from EU funds to be given precisely to the poor and the disadvantaged.

At the summit of the EU Council on Justice and Home Affairs on March 7th and 8th in Brussels, where Bulgaria's and Romania's Schengen joining was postponed for yet one more time, he explained the German veto stemmed from weak spots in the fight against organized crime , especially within the justice system, adding migration of poor people was "another matter."

The Minister admitted some success in combatting crime, but stressed the moment to lift the Schengen barrier had not yet arrived.

He stated the problem was attributed to some governments seeing Schengen membership as an issue with the prestige of their countries.

"This must change as it does have nothing to do with prestige, but with not threatening the security of our citizens. I understand the disappointment, though," Friedrich said.

Regarding social migration, he explained the right for free movement within the EU should not be violated and everyone should be able to choose where to work, but should not just decide to move to the country with the best social assistance system.

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