The Schengen area will partially open to Romania and Bulgaria from March 31. The decision was taken on Saturday December 30 in the evening. It initially concerns air and maritime borders.
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“We will work until the last moment of the presidency of the European Union,” declared the head of the Spanish government. And Pedro Sanchez did it, underlines our correspondent in Brussels, Laxmi Lota. The information came last night: Romania and Bulgaria are joining the Schengen area, this area in which more than 400 million people can travel freely without internal border controls.
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But the measure initially concerns air and sea borders, from March 31. This date was chosen because it corresponds to the transition from winter schedules to those planned for summer by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), according to the official press release. The 27 will have to agree on a date for the land borders…
Negotiations lasted twelve years. Austria had vetoed it, fearing a “massive arrival of illegal immigrants” on its territory… Veto finally lifted in exchange for guarantees: Sofia and Bucharest signed a joint declaration on Saturday in which they undertake to fight more against immigration. ‘illegal immigration. “ Land border controls between Bulgaria and Romania, as well as between Romania and Hungary, will need to be strengthened “, we can read in this document.
Bulgaria and Romania are also committed to fully applying European law, which provides that asylum requests be processed in the migrant’s country of arrival.
“ Today marks a historic moment for Bulgaria and Romania, and a day of great pride for Bulgarian and Romanian citizens”, welcomed the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in a press release. The Commission recalled that it had considered since 2011 that these two countries were ready to join the Schengen area.
One year ago, in December 2022, green light had been given to Croatia.
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