Bulgaria Is Very Close to Joining the U.S. Visa Waiver Programme, Says Minister of Interior Daniel Mitov

Bulgaria is very close to being included in the US visa waiver programme, Minister of Interior, Daniel Mitov, wrote on Facebook on June 9.

"Bulgaria is very close to being included in the US visa-free travel programme. We are making this a top priority, and our government proudly reports significant progress. I emphasised this in my conversation with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Under Secretary, Christopher Pratt,” Mitov wrote.

He concluded his working visit to the United States with meetings at the Department of Homeland Security and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. The delegation also included the directors of the General Directorate “National Police,” General Directorate for Combatting Organised Crime, and Border Police – Chief Commissioners Zahari Vaskov, Boyan Raev, and Anton Zlatanov.

“A new trilateral meeting between the U.S., the European Commission, and Bulgaria will begin this week to discuss technical issues from the work plan. In December, the administration of President Donald Trump is expected to issue its assessment of the progress made. I hope this will be a positive one, allowing us to successfully complete the path we began together many years ago. I invited representatives of the Department of Homeland Security to conduct a mission in Bulgaria to assess our readiness for entry into the programme. With Under Secretary Pratt, we also discussed security issues at two of the busiest borders in the world – the Bulgarian-Turkish and the U.S.-Mexican borders,” Mitov stated.

“At the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, I met with its Director, Thad Osterhout. Over the past four years of political stagnation and instability, Bulgaria lost its clear direction. But since January, we have had a stable and regular government determined to fulfill its mandate and restore Bulgaria’s position as a serious partner, both to the United States and within the European Union. I emphasised that the Ministry of Interior, in close cooperation with the Bureau’s staff in Sofia, will be a reliable partner in identifying and countering potential threats – both to Bulgarian society and to U.S. citizens and diplomats working in our country,” the Minister added.

Photos: Daniel Mitov's Facebook profile