Does Bulgaria really fulfill the criteria to join the Schengen zone? On location in Bulgaria we looked into possible corruption in the town of Sandanski.

Reporter: Opening up Schengen to Bulgaria

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/15512923/M003-0122-EN.srt

What obstacles is Bulgaria facing  to join the Schengen Area?

Does the country meet  Europe's strict criteria or not?

EuroparlTV went to Bulgaria  to find out the answers

in a country trying hard to fight  corruption and organised crime.

On one side is Bulgaria  and on the other Turkey.

This should have become  the Schengen Area border in March 2011

if Romania and Bulgaria met  all the criteria imposed by Schengen.

The two are linked since neither plans  to strengthen their common border

The accession of both countries  is a priority for the Hungarian Presidency.

We will deal with Romania and Bulgaria  at the same time.

Romania has fulfilled  all of its technical requirements.

Bulgaria still has some outstanding  issues, like the defence of its borders,

but its Minister of the Interior,  Tsvetan Tsvetanov,

has promised  that he will tackle those issues.

In spite of the opening in early 2011 of  this asylum-seekers' centre in Bulgaria,

the strengthening of the Bulgaria-Turkey  border leaves much to be desired.

Implementation has been postponed  to a later undefined date.

In December, Germany and France  spoke against this project.

in underlining the shortcomings  of Sofia and Bucharest

in fighting against corruption  and organised crime.

It is not only about having  proper computers and border security,

but about having the guarantee  that the entire system is so dependable

Sandanski is the first town  on the way to Sofia

after crossing the current  Schengen border coming from Greece.

This town is reputed as a paradise  for sexual tourism.

The town hall tells us it's an exaggeration.

The deputy mayor thinks that prostitution  should be legalised as in Holland.

In order to stop the speculations  surrounding this problem

we should somehow legalise it  and put regulations in place.

While Bulgaria hopes to join  the Schengen Area,

Corruption still seems to be the norm  at many levels.

There's corruption  among chief customs officers,

among local police chiefs  and regional police chiefs.

It's at that level that  it poses a real problem for Schengen.

Firstly, human trafficking.  There's also illegal immigration.

If you can corrupt a chief customs officer,

But the Bulgarian Minister of the Interior  thinks they have made efforts

The past 18 months  of the current government's mandate

we've made great efforts  to fight organised crime and corruption.

Georgi Koritarov is a journalist and  presenter of a political TV talk show.

Does he think Bulgaria is ready  to join the Schengen Area?

To be clear, corruption has been  a problem for decades in Bulgaria,

practically since the beginning  of its political transition.

it's been highlighted as a key issue  by the highest political echelons.

Bulgaria's entry into the Schengen Area  has become a question of prestige.

Can it convince its European partners  that it's ready?