Bulgaria and Romania’s Ministers Collaborate to Remove Border Barriers

BLAGOEVGRAD/RUSE – Bulgaria and Romania officially became full members of Schengen at midnight on January 1. At the “Danube Bridge” border crossing in Ruse, the interior ministers of both countries, Atanas Ilkov from Bulgaria and Katalin Predoyu from Romania, celebrated the milestone by symbolically lifting the barrier at the checkpoint. During the ceremony, Ilkov remarked that the inclusion of Bulgaria and Romania into Schengen represents a historic achievement rooted in trust.

Katalin Predoyu emphasized that the project is significant not only for Bulgaria and Romania but for all of Europe.

The entry of Bulgaria into the Schengen area is a monumental event that reflects the hard work of many individuals, stated Bulgarian interim Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev, who observed the crossing process at the “Kulata” checkpoint on this historic day. He noted that travelers can now move freely from Greece in the south to Finland in the north and Portugal in the west without encountering border checks.

The elimination of border control will enhance Europe’s strength and prosperity, wrote Bulgarian European Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva on her Facebook page.

Bulgaria is not merely an attractive tourist destination; it is also a safe one, which is crucial for the tourism sector, said interim Minister of Tourism Evtim Miloshev to reporters at the “Kulata” checkpoint.

Chief Commissioner Anton Zlatanov, Director of the Main Directorate of Border Police, announced plans to establish a new organization for inspecting vehicles crossing into Romania and Greece. He explained that border police will be stationed within a 30-kilometer zone for vehicle inspections using a “risk analysis” approach.

Rumen Spetsov, Executive Director of the National Revenue Agency (NRA), assured that controls at unloading sites will be enhanced. While NRA officials will no longer be at border points, but rather within the country, this change will not diminish the security of inspections, he stated.

Georgi Dimov, Director of the Customs Agency, mentioned plans to integrate artificial intelligence to monitor goods moving across the country. He noted that inspections would include the use of scanners, trained dogs, and collaborative teams from various oversight agencies, with random checks and targeted assessments being conducted.

The EU Council made the decision to lift checks at the land borders of Bulgaria and Romania starting January 1, 2025, as announced on December 12 of the previous year during the closing of the Hungarian presidency. This decision pertains to the borders of Bulgaria with Greece and Romania, as well as Romania’s borders with Bulgaria and Hungary. Additionally, from March 31, 2024, border checks at air and sea entry points for both countries will be abolished, following a decision made at the end of the Spanish presidency in 2023.