Austria

The European Commission has given a positive evaluation of Greece's 2025 budget plan and medium-term fiscal strategy, according to the autumn package of the European Semester released on Tuesday.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has urged member states to comply with the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, criticizing the countries over their hesitations.

Chief Commissioner Anton Zlatanov, Director of the General Directorate "Border Police," assured that Bulgaria will fully meet its obligations even after gaining Schengen membership by land. Speaking about the upcoming reorganization at the Danube Bridge-Giurgiu checkpoint, he emphasized the country's preparedness for the transition.

Ivan Anchev, co-chair of the Atlantic Council in Bulgaria, and Filip Gunev, former Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, shared their views on Bulgaria's path to full Schengen membership during an interview on NOVA NEWS.

Bulgaria will independently determine the locations and methods of border control with Romania following its Schengen entry by land, according to diplomatic sources in Brussels shared with BNR.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis mentioned the 2025 Budget at length in his regular Sunday post on the week’s report.

Britain and Ireland have taken differing stances regarding the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrant issued against him. While the UK has indicated it would comply with the ICC's legal obligations, it refrained from commenting on the specifics of Netanyahu's case.

Following Bulgaria's entry into the Schengen area's land borders, border checkpoints will remain operational, but movement across borders will become more streamlined, according to the Ministry of Interior.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Bulgaria recorded a net positive flow of 1.24 billion euros for the first nine months of 2024, equating to 1.2% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), according to data from the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB). Despite the positive figure, this represents a significant decline of 63.3% compared to the same period in 2023.

Bulgaria and Romania are set to enter the Schengen Area, but border controls at their land borders will remain in place for at least six months following their accession. This agreement was finalized today in Budapest, where the interior ministers of Bulgaria, Romania, Austria, and Hungary signed a joint declaration, as reported by the Hungarian rotating presidency of the EU Council.