Te dvije zemlje trebale su se prvobitno pridružiti zoni bez granica 25 zemalja zajednički u martu, ali je pristupanje odloženo nakon što su u konačnom izvještaju s ocjenom za Bugarsku utvrđeni sigurnosni nedostaci na kopnenoj granici te zemlje s Turskom.
The two countries were originally scheduled to join the 25-nation border-free area together in March, but accession was delayed after a final evaluation report on Bulgaria found security shortcomings at the country's land border with Turkey.