Bulgaria and Romania: Schengen Bound!
Ah, the bureaucratic ballet of Europe! In a stunningly boring twist of fate, the Austrian government has decided that it’s high time Bulgaria and Romania got the Schengen stamp of approval, officially letting them join the club of free travel without border controls starting from January 1, 2025. That’s quite a New Year’s resolution, isn’t it? Who knew the Schengen area was like a trendy nightclub with a bouncer that doesn’t let in just anyone?
The Big Announcement
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stepped up to the mic and declared, “Bulgaria and Romania belong entirely to Schengen!” A clear indication that she is ready for a passport-free road trip through Europe. This was all following a private meeting in Budapest — probably with more schnitzel than you can shake a stick at, not to mention a fair amount of political posturing.
The date to circle on your calendar is December 12, when the EU interior ministers will have the grand pow-wow to rubber stamp this thrilling agreement. You can almost hear the collective sigh of relief as Romania and Bulgaria look at each other, nodding like they just won the lottery — if only they remembered to bring their tickets to the meeting!
Border Control: A Love/Hate Relationship
Now, before we pop the champagne, we’ve got to talk about the interim steps. Don’t you just love it when countries agree to send an “additional contingent” of border policemen? So romantic! Hungary’s interior minister, Sándor Pinter, made it clear they’re not just throwing parties at the border; they’re sending 100 more officers to keep an eye on things, because nothing says “welcome” like trained and equipped policemen waving at you from afar.
However, Pinter also hinted at the temporary “maintenance of internal border control.” It’s like keeping an ex on speed dial — just in case things get messy. But fear not! It’s all in the name of “incident control,” because a bit of border patrol never hurt anyone, right? It’s all very reassuring, like a soft blanket on a cold night, until you realize there might still be the occasional border check during the holiday rush.
Shared Responsibility: The True Meaning of Friendship
On to the fun part: shared responsibility! What a friendly concept! Pinter emphasized “sharing the responsibility,” which sounds suspiciously like a group project you’d want to avoid in school. But hey, if it means better border security, let’s roll with it. After all, every team needs a schlep who does all the heavy lifting, right?
Working Tirelessly, or So They Claim
Over in Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán claims he’s been “working tirelessly” alongside Romanian PM Marcel Cholaku, which sounds like a euphemism for “I’ve been doing a lot of paperwork.” But, he insists, it’s not just for air and sea travel; they’re claiming land borders are on the agenda too! What a revelation! Who needs a trip to Disneyland when you’ve got internal EU politics to keep you entertained?
Security Measures: High-Tech Shenanigans!
Security is no laughing matter, though. Dimitar Glavchev, Bulgaria’s acting Prime Minister, promised the installation of an echolocation system on the Bulgarian-Turkish border. Echolocation? What are they expecting, dolphins to start migrating across the land? But, in all seriousness, he might just be onto something there. Let’s be honest; who doesn’t want high-tech toys guarding their borders?
The Joint Declaration: A Paper Trail
And just when you thought it was all about the free travel, we find ourselves with a joint declaration packed full of agreements and commitments. It’s like that unwelcome dinner guest who just keeps talking about his life story — they are here to stay and discuss illegal migration and border policing in exquisite detail. But, the more the merrier, eh? As long as they keep the coffee flowing!
The Conclusion: Cheers to Free Movement!
So, setting our sights on 2025, will Bulgaria and Romania finally claim their rightful place? Will they waltz into the Schengen area, high-fiving everyone along the way? Well, as long as they keep those echolocation dolphins in check and share the responsibility with a smile, one can only hope!
In the end, it all boils down to one thing: more travel freedom for our Eastern European friends. After years of waiting and negotiations that could bore a statue to tears, they might finally get their moment in the EU sun. And if that’s not something to cheer for, I don’t know what is!
The Austrian government has formalized an agreement with Bulgaria and Romania, paving the way for both countries to fully join the Schengen Area, which will enable travel without border controls starting January 1, 2025.
“Bulgaria and Romania belong entirely in Schengen. The removal of land border controls is the final hurdle. I welcome the positive results of today’s informal discussions in Budapest,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated on Friday, emphasizing the importance of this milestone.
On November 22, the latest round of Schengen negotiations took place in Budapest, facilitated by Hungary’s mediation efforts to bring these countries closer to full integration.
Following these discussions, the interior ministers of Bulgaria, Romania, and Austria convened to sign a declaration that confirms and outlines the full accession of both Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area.
The definitive approval of this agreement is expected to occur on December 12, when EU interior ministers will formally invite Romania and Bulgaria to join Schengen, eliminating land border restrictions.
“The next stage is an official decision by the European Council,” von der Leyen added, highlighting the procedural steps still left to take.
“Romania and Bulgaria can fully join the European Schengen area with open borders from January 2025.” Hungarian Interior Minister Sándor Pinter announced after the meeting, indicating strong confidence in the timeline.
Pinter also mentioned the significance of the upcoming December 12 meeting where the final decision will be made. Bulgarian Minister Atanas Ilkov indicated that preparations for drafting a decision for December 12 will commence next Monday.
What the agreement provides
Pinter further elaborated that an agreement was reached regarding the deployment of an “additional contingent” of border policemen at the Bulgarian-Turkish border, comprising at least 100 personnel. He stressed that these officers will be adequately trained and equipped as part of the agreement.
“There is an opportunity to finish this topic by the end of the year, and from January 1, Bulgaria and Romania will become full members,” Pinter detailed, optimism underscoring his remarks.
However, the Hungarian minister also raised the point regarding the necessity of temporary “maintenance of internal border control” under specific conditions. He noted that this arrangement will involve a designated “incident control” policy in effect at the border with Romania for up to six months, while the border with Greece will remain open and free of checks.
“We will explore the security environment. This is the control that colleagues from Germany and Austria are practicing at their internal borders, so it will be based on risk analysis and will not resemble the current control measures,” Ilkov explained, ensuring that adjustments would be made if any changes arise in the security environment.
According to Ilkov, these checks will be relaxed during “holidays and large crowds” to avoid disrupting traffic flow.
Shared responsibility
Ilkov characterized the added contingent of border police as a “sharing of responsibility,” with details about the unit’s formation expected to be defined after Bulgaria’s full acceptance into Schengen.
“There are numerous organizational and technical elements to discuss, and it will begin functioning from the start of next year,” the minister stated, setting a timeline for progression.
Tirelessly
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his Romanian counterpart, Marcel Cholaku, have committed to working tirelessly toward the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to Schengen by January 1. Both leaders met in Budapest during discussions involving the interior ministers.
“I have observed all the strides made by the governments in Romania, and I have seen that for some time, Romania has fulfilled all the requisite criteria for full membership in the Schengen area. We agreed that Bulgaria and Romania have taken significant steps in this direction,” Orbán remarked after the meeting.
The agreement reached in Budapest received commendations from the two largest groups in the European Parliament, the European People’s Party and the Socialists and Democrats.
“The EPP has been a staunch defender of this goal, the achievement of which will enhance security in Europe and bolster the protection of external borders,” stated the representatives of the People’s Party.
The socialists expressed that Bulgaria and Romania had been unfairly subjected to prolonged waiting periods, emphasizing that “there cannot be ‘second-class’ citizens in the EU. Bulgarians and Romanians deserve equal rights to free movement within the EU.” They urged the EU Council to ratify this decision in the coming month.
The Prime Minister: We are installing an echolocation system on the Bulgarian-Turkish border
Acting Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev indicated that the final decision regarding Bulgaria’s Schengen accession by land will be determined during the December 12 meeting of the Council of Ministers of Internal Affairs, noting that the process is progressing according to plan.
He acknowledged Turkey’s significant assistance in managing attempts to cross the border illegally, highlighting a remarkable 70% reduction in migrant pressure on Bulgaria.
Glavchev asserted that following Bulgaria’s official entry into Schengen, security measures would not only remain but would increase as well.
On the Bulgarian-Turkish border, collaborative teams composed of personnel from Austria and Romania will total 100 individuals, supplementing the existing force of 2,400 border security personnel. The number of border police has been bolstered by an additional 1,200 members, and all-terrain vehicles have been acquired to enhance border surveillance.
“We are in the process of constructing an echolocation system to further enhance security,” Glavchev revealed. He assured that the network of the border furrow remains secure, emphasizing that any breaches are swiftly repaired.
The text of the joint declaration
The details of the joint declaration among Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, and Austria were publicly shared today via the official profile of the Hungarian EU Presidency on the social platform “Ex”.
The declaration revealed that on November 22, 2024, the representatives from Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Austria recognized the progress made in mitigating illegal migration to Europe and agreed on several key initiatives.
– to continue their joint efforts to combat illegal migration to Europe and within their territories;
– to persist in collaborative actions against irregular migration as per the joint declaration made by Austria, Romania, and Bulgaria in December 2023;
– to take all possible measures to thwart the illegal transit of migrants through their territories while effectively managing return and transfer processes in accordance with existing agreements;
– to mitigate the potential impacts of shifts in migration patterns resulting from the absence of internal borders within the European Union by maintaining border control procedures incorporating checks based on the Schengen Borders Code at the land borders between Hungary and Romania, and between Romania and Bulgaria for an initial six-month period;
– to continue supporting Bulgaria in the protection of the EU’s external land borders with Turkey through the deployment of an international police contingent comprising 100 border guards (15 from Austria, 25 from Bulgaria, 20 from Hungary, and 40 from Romania).
In conclusion, the declaration indicated that the parties have agreed to initiate the essential steps by the end of the year for the official decision by the Council of the EU to establish a timeline for lifting internal border checks within the EU for Bulgaria and Romania.