January 26 (BTA) - "Bulgaria expects its accession to the Schengen Area, for which our country has long ago met all requirements, to make progress during the French Presidency of the EU Council," Bulgarian Deputy Foreign Minister Irena Dimitrova said at a EU General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on Tuesday, quoted by her Ministry in a press release. Dimitrova headed the Bulgarian delegation to this first General Affairs Council within the French Presidency.

"Bulgaria entirely shares the French Presidency priorities," the Deputy Minister pointed out. She expressed support for the Conference on the Western Balkans, planned by the Presidency for June 2022.

Dimitrova noted the need of efforts to achieve "a delicate balance between strengthening the financial viability of European political parties and the preservation of their independence."

Bulgaria is confident that the introduction of a case-by-case approach based on the digital COVID certificate will facilitate European citizens' freedom of movement, the head of the Bulgarian delegation emphasized. She noted that the Bulgarian authorities keep up their active work to build public trust in vaccines and raise awareness of the benefits of vaccination.