Bulgaria And Romania Join Europe's Schengen Area After Thirteen Year Long Wait

After thirteen long years of waiting, Bulgaria and Romania have officially become part of Europe's Schengen Area. This development allows unrestricted air and sea travel for the citizens of the two countries. Established in 1985, the Schengen Area currently consists of 29 members, including 25 of the 27 EU member states, as well as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. The Schengen Area has facilitated free movement for 400 million individuals without internal border checks.

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, celebrated the inclusion of these two countries into the Schengen Area, considering it a significant success for both Bulgaria, Romania, and the Schengen Area as a whole. However, border checks will continue on land routes due to concerns about a potential increase in the number of asylum seekers. Nevertheless, both Romania and Bulgaria are aiming to fully integrate themselves into the Schengen Area by the end of the year.

In an announcement made by Romania, Schengen rules will be applied to 17 airports and 4 seaports. Additionally, to prevent illegal exits from the country, additional staff, including border police and immigration officers, will be stationed at airports.

For some, this development is cause for celebration. However, for truck drivers, the ongoing border checks on land routes will mean continued lengthy waits at the border, resulting in financial losses.The UNTRR union, a major Romanian transport union, sheds light on the harsh situations truck drivers have to go through while crossing the borders. According to them, they have to wait for around 8 to 16 hours at the border to Hungary, and that time is extended to 20 to even 30 hours at the Bulgarian border.

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Bulgarian businesses are also unhappy with the exclusion of land routes. Vasil Velev, president of the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association (BICA), stated that approximately 97% of goods are transported by land.

Since last December, both Romania and Bulgaria have fulfilled all the required conditions necessary to ensure that Schengen rules can be applied from 31st March 2024. This development will definitely lead to a significant enhancement in trade and tourism within Europe, and over time, the problem of checks on borders will also diminish. It's great news overall for the citizens and the governments of the two countries. They will be hoping that everything will go smoothly so they can achieve what they have been chasing for the last 13 years.