The move marks the removal of land border controls between the two countries and the rest of the Schengen zone, allowing residents to travel freely without passport checks.
Fireworks lit up the night sky over the Friendship Bridge, a critical transit point connecting Romania and Bulgaria over the Danube River, shortly after midnight. The symbolic barrier-lifting ceremony was led by the countries’ interior ministers, signifying the end of years of anticipation.
“This is a historic moment,” Bulgarian Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev declared during the celebrations. “From Greece in the south to Finland in the north and all the way to Portugal in the west – you can travel without borders.”
The Friendship Bridge, a significant hub for international trade, has long been plagued by bottlenecks. With the lifting of land border controls, the move is expected to streamline transit and bolster economic ties across Europe.
Air and sea border checks for Bulgaria and Romania were lifted in March 2024, but land checks remained in place until last month. Austria, which had vetoed the removal of land border controls due to concerns over irregular migration, finally withdrew its objection, paving the way for this expansion.
The Schengen area, first established in 1985 with the removal of border checks between France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, now includes 25 of the 27 EU member states. Non-EU members Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland are also part of the zone.
While the Schengen area represents a significant step toward European integration, not all EU member states are part of the agreement. Ireland and Cyprus remain outside the zone, maintaining their own border controls.
The inclusion of Romania and Bulgaria marks a pivotal moment for the Schengen area, reinforcing the EU’s vision of a borderless Europe. As trade and travel become more accessible, the expansion is expected to foster closer ties among member states and enhance the region’s economic and social cohesion.
Melissa Enoch
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