Bulgaria Nears Entry into U.S. Visa Waiver Program, Interior Minister Announces During Washington Visit
Washington, D.C., The Gulf Observer: Bulgaria is poised to join the United States Visa Waiver Program, Interior Minister Daniel Mitov announced on his official Facebook page during an ongoing official visit to the U.S. The announcement follows a series of high-level meetings between Bulgarian officials and senior representatives from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Minister Mitov, accompanied by the heads of Bulgaria’s National Police, Border Police, and Organized Crime Division, met with Undersecretary Christopher Pratt to discuss the advancement of Bulgaria’s accession process. A new trilateral meeting involving the United States, the European Commission, and Bulgaria is scheduled to take place this week to examine the technical framework and work plan essential to Bulgaria’s inclusion in the program.
The U.S. administration, under President Donald Trump, is expected to assess Bulgaria’s progress in December. Expressing optimism, Minister Mitov invited U.S. officials to conduct an on-site inspection in Bulgaria to confirm the country’s readiness and commitment to meeting all requirements.
Security cooperation was also a central theme of the visit, with discussions addressing the shared challenges at key border points, notably the Bulgarian-Turkish and U.S.-Mexican borders.
In further remarks, Minister Mitov highlighted his meeting with Tad Osterhout, Director of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. He acknowledged the recent political instability in Bulgaria but emphasized the country’s renewed commitment to strengthening its role as a trusted ally to both the U.S. and the European Union since the formation of a stable government in January.
Minister Mitov reaffirmed the Interior Ministry’s pledge to enhance collaboration with U.S. diplomatic security teams in Sofia, focusing on countering potential threats, human trafficking, and illegal migration.
The Bulgarian delegation included Chief Commissioners Zahari Vaskov (National Police), Boyan Raev (Organized Crime), and Anton Zlatanov (Border Police), all of whom played key roles in the bilateral talks.
