Bulgaria, Romania celebrate full Schengen membership with border ceremonies

Sofia: Ceremonies were held at Romania and Bulgaria’s borders to celebrate becoming fully fledged members of the Schengen Area.

The countries’ interior ministers welcomed the first drivers to pass over the Friendship Bridge over the Danube River close to the Bulgarian border town of Ruse.

EU and NATO alliance members Romania and Bulgaria partly joined Schengen in March after Austria dropped a veto it had maintained on grounds they needed to do more to stop illegal immigration.

While air and maritime checks for Romania and Bulgaria with other nations in the travel zone were lifted in March 2024, negotiations with Austria over land entry continued through last year.