Bulgaria will be part of Schengen by October next year at the latest, said President Rumen Radev answering a question from the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR).

Before that, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, told Bulgarian journalists that this could happen already in the summer.

Immediately afterwards, Rumen Radev commented: "October at the latest - this is the latest date and goal that we set for ourselves and for which we already have more and more support. We will, of course, do everything possible to make this deadline accelerated... It depends a lot on the Bulgarian parliament whether it will adopt two important laws now, in January. Also, it depends on the responsibility of the chief prosecutor and the anti-corruption law".

When asked by BNR about a specific date, the head of state answered:

"We are in continuous communication with Prime Minister Mark Rutte. The most important thing is that Bulgaria will enter the Schengen area next year. This is what we are really achieving so far, working with the Netherlands and Austria. Indeed, at this council, we and the president to Romania, we will raise the issue of Schengen again," the head of state also pointed out.

Radev also stated that he would give more time to the second political force to try to form a government after GERB was already given additional time.

"We are all convinced that Bulgaria must have a regular government, and we all see how difficult it is to form such a government. Therefore, any attempt in this direction is encouraged. The first political force has been given extra time in this very fragmented political configuration. Extra time to think and forming a cabinet In this situation it is okay for the second political force to get some extra time as long as the intentions to form a government are sincere and that time is used both for forming a government and passing important laws, not for pre-election campaigning," said Radev in Brussels, where he is to participate in the European Council.

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