Schengen expansion: Bulgaria and Romania celebrate historical accession!

Schengen expansion: Bulgaria and Romania celebrate historical accession!

Budapest, Ungarn - A historical moment for Europe! The EU has finally approved Bulgaria and Romania full membership in the limitless Schengen area-and that from the coming year! This decision comes after a long fight of 13 years, in which the two countries repeatedly met with obstacles.

The Hungarian Interior Minister Sandor Pinter, who currently holds the rotating EU presidency, celebrated this step as a "historical moment" at a ministerial meeting on Thursday. The joy is great, because the citizens of these two EU and NATO members can look forward to a future without annoying border controls!

Austria raises the veto to

The breakthrough came when Austria picked up its veto, which previously maintained it due to concerns about illegal immigration. After intensive negotiations and the conclusion of a "border protection package" in Budapest, in which the joint posting of border protection officials on the Bulgarian-Turkish border was agreed, the last obstacle was made. Austria's Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said that the measures to combat illegal immigration had already led to a decline in migrants who were taken up on the border with Hungary

Karner reported a dramatic decline: While last year to October 70,000 migrants were intercepted at the border, it was only 4,000 this year. A clear success that would not have been possible without the veto!

advantages for Romania and Bulgaria

Romania's President Klaus Iohannis described the accession as a "natural and necessary step". He emphasized that this step will significantly shorten the waiting times at the borders, reduce logistics costs for companies and increase the attractiveness for foreign investors. "The Schengen membership was a strategic goal for our country," continued Iohannis. "Despite our technical readiness, there have been numerous obstacles over the years."

In March, the two countries had already received a partial admission to the Schengen area by lifting the air and maritime controls. But the land borders remained a problem - until now!

With the inclusion in the Schengen area, the number of countries that can be traveled without border controls will increase to 29. The Schengen area, which was launched in 1985, is the largest area in the world without internal border controls. Over 400 million people can now travel freely!

and while Europe is looking forward to this significant step, a new survey shows that 54 percent of Brexit voters in Great Britain are dissatisfied with their decision and that a return to freedom of movement in the EU would consider access to the internal market. Another sign that the EU and its member states are on the right track!