Joint Bulgarian-Romanian police units are starting patrols in the largest Bulgarian Black Sea resort Bansko as of December 13, the Interior Ministry announced. The joint patrols are stipulated under an agreement between the police authorities of

French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Tuesday addressed Turkey’s bid to join the EU by saying that the organization “must first unite the European family”. “Removing reservations” toward Turkey’s European perspective would not make Europe’s tasks easier in the current crisis, he was quoted as saying.

The potential accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen Agreement may not be discussed during the upcoming Justice and Home Affairs Council sitting, according to a high-level EU diplomat.