Turkish President Abdullah Gül has said that Turkey’s accession to the European Union is a strategic imperative for the European integration project, which he said will no doubt increase the 27-nation bloc’s efficiency, relevance and credibility.

Members of the European Parliament will debate on Tuesday the extension of Europe’s borderless Schengen zone to the newest members of the EU club, Bulgaria and Romania. The MEPs will vote on Wednesday.

Representatives from the European Commission and institutions from Bosnia-Herzegovina recently met in Brussels to discuss the process of integration of the country and its progress with fulfilling the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SSA).