It therefore took 18 years after their accession to the European Union to remove their common borders. This will make travel easier, especially in summer when traffic jams block border crossings between Bulgaria and Romania. Road hauliers also welcomed this long-awaited development in the sector.
Concretely, joining the Schengen area will not disrupt the lives of Bulgarians. Citizens have had the right to free movement since 2007, but now traveling to neighboring countries will be much easier. Setti and Dimitar are the first to be delighted to Bulgaria’s entry into the Schengen area. They spend the majority of their vacations and weekends in Greece. A journey often synonymous with customs hassles. With full entry into the Schengen area, these bad experiences should be a thing of the past. “ There were times when we waited for hours at the border. It will be easier to plan our stay too. Until then, you had to follow groups on social networks to know the traffic at the border. We avoided leaving on Friday evening, for example, when there were very long queues. »
The relief in border traffic is a boon for road hauliers. The lifting of customs controls at the borders with Greece and Romania will make their work much easier and more pleasant, explains the director of the Union of International Transporters: “ You can cross the Danube bridge in one minute without having to wait, you just have to pay the requested fare. This is a huge relief for truckers who had to wait ten, 20 hours, sometimes even several days. »
Profits of more than 800 million euros
Transport companies should also benefit financially from the Schengen area. Bulgaria’s major trading partners are all located in the European Union, therefore in the Schengen area, Germany first of all, with trade valued at more than 9 billion euros, according to the National Institute statistics. According to calculations by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the benefits of entering the Schengen area will amount to more than 800 million euros. “ This will have a direct effect on overtime and salaries of truck drivers, on compensation costs in case of delay, when transport is not fast it is not attractive », Further specifies the director of the union of international carriers.
On New Year’s Day, the Bulgarian and Romanian Interior Ministers met at the border post to raise a final symbolic barrier. “ A historic success for our countries », Underlined Bulgarian Interior Minister Atanas Ilkov.
On the passenger side, testimonials are enthusiastic on social networks. Videos recorded in cars by Bulgarians returning from vacation have gone viral on the internet. This shows that the Schengen area is indeed a reality.
Also readSchengen Area: European Union agreement for full membership of Romania and Bulgaria