Brussels, 14/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - During a visit to Sofia on Friday 11 February, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström welcomed the enormous efforts made by Bulgaria to join the Schengen area, pointing out that Brussels would be assessing the situation at the end of March, according to reports in AFP. She said that some impressive work had been carried out, bearing witness to strong commitment and she had been told that the last batch of work would be completed towards the end of next month. Malmström added that an assessment would then be made by experts in Brussels. At the end of her official visit to Bulgaria and Romania, two countries hoping to join the Schengen area, she said that Romania already met the criteria and Bulgaria was close to doing so. After visiting the border crossing between Bulgaria and Turkey at Kapitan-Andreevo, Malmström said that the Bulgarian-Turkish border, which would become one of the Schengen area's borders with the outside world, was equipped with the most up-to-date equipment but because Schengen is based on trust rather than simply technical equipment, it was important to continue with the reform process and tackle organised crime and corruption. On Monday 14 February, EU Council of Ministers' experts looked at progress in Bulgaria and adopted a technical report on the country, according to press agency Novonite.com, highlighting problems with Bulgaria's border with Turkey. (S.P./transl.fl)