After they have met the criteria for membership of the Schengen zone, new EU member states should be admitted and then participate in its transformation. This was highlighted today at a meeting in Paris between Vice President Margarita Popova and the President of the Group for Friendship with Bulgaria in the Senate of the French Republic, Yves Pozzo di Borgo.

The Vice President is on a working visit to Paris to participate in the Academy of European Law conference to be held on May 3. The meeting was attended by the Bulgarian Ambassador to France, Marin Raikov, and the Chairman of the Presidential Commission on Pardons, Iva Pushkarova.

The Schengen rules require an update and this should be discussed by all EU member states. Bulgaria should participate in the process of this change, Vice President Margarita Popova said.

Pozzo di Borgo expressed his support for Bulgaria's efforts to overcome the last remaining obstacles to accession to the Schengen area. He expressed the same view as the Bulgarian Vice President, that Bulgaria, as well as all other EU countries, must participate together in reforming Schengen.

On May 3, Thursday, at 9.30am the Vice President will participate in Academy of European Law conference dedicated to ne bis in idem (double jeopardy) as a fundamental principle of European law. Vice President Popova will take part in the panel discussion “Changing perspectives: from national to transnational application of fundamental principles”. The Vice President’s lecture is entitled “Challenges of Ne bis in idem in integrating Europe.”

At 6.30pm the same day, the Vice President will meet Bulgarian students at the Embassy in Paris.