Bulgaria has fulfilled all the requirements for accession to the Schengen area, and I believe that our country will get a fair assessment of the results achieved, President Rosen Plevneliev told reporters today after being asked to comment on a statement a few days ago by German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich.

The President emphasised that apart from the statement by Minister Friedrich, Bulgarian institutions had not had an indication that the position of Germany had changed, which if it had would be an obstacle in the process of accession of Bulgaria to the Schengen zone. “We believe that the two-phase plan is correct and we expect a fair assessment of our efforts. Bulgaria is doing brilliantly and maintains its borders in a way much better than other countries,” the President underlined.

Asked to comment on the Coalition for Bulgaria’s petition for a referendum on the future of the Belene project, President Plevneliev said that as head of state, he would comply with the decision of the National Assembly and the will of the Bulgarian citizens. “We shall see how the question would be worded, at what time, and whether there will be a referendum at all. As an expert, I will repeat that instead of Bulgaria pouring 10 billion euro into a project with two old reactors that will produce power at least three times more expensive than that from Kozloduy nuclear power station, I invested a third of that in the national energy efficiency program that will have a greater impact on Bulgaria’s citizens, the economy and the city,” the President said.

Bulgaria and Macedonia should have good will and respect their histories, President Plevneliev told reporters after being asked whether the two countries were ready to jointly celebrate the anniversary of the Ilinden Uprising. “Bulgaria has a very well-intentioned attitude towards Macedonia. Historical facts are what they are, and we need to know and accept them, not to manipulate and change them,” the President said.