site.btaBulgaria Nears Inclusion in US Visa Waiver Program, Says Interior Minister

Bulgaria is very close to joining the United States Visa Waiver Program, Bulgaria's Interior Minister Daniel Mitov wrote in a Facebook post on Monday. Mitov is on a working visit to the US, accompanied by top officials from the National Police, General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, and Border Police.

In his conversation with Under Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Christopher Pratt, Mitov stressed that the Bulgarian Government reports serious progress on the issue of visa-free travel to the US and considers it a top priority.

A new trilateral meeting between the US, the European Commission, and Bulgaria will begin this week to discuss technical aspects of the work plan. An evaluation from the US President Donald Trump's administration is expected in December, with hopes for a positive outcome to successfully complete the process started years ago.

Mitov invited Homeland Security officials to conduct an on-site mission in Bulgaria to assess the country’s readiness for the programme. He also discussed with Pratt security issues along two of the world's busiest borders, the Bulgarian-Turkish and US-Mexican borders.

The Minister said he met with Thad Osterhout, Director of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. During the meeting, he underscored that Bulgaria’s Interior Ministry, in close cooperation with the Bureau’s staff in Sofia, will be a reliable partner in identifying and countering potential threats to both Bulgarian society and American citizens and diplomats in the country.

Mitov reaffirmed Bulgaria’s firm commitment to combating human trafficking and illegal migration, underlining the Government’s dedication to effective law enforcement in these areas.

The agenda of the visit includes meetings at the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department, and the headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration, among others.