Romania and Bulgaria Join Schengen: Open Borders, Years of Delays End
Following a vote by European interior ministers in Brussels, Bulgaria and Romania will officially join the Schengen Area on January 1, 2025. Austria, previously opposed, dropped its veto after a deal securing increased Bulgarian border security. This decision concludes a long process, with the countries meeting Schengen requirements since 2010 but facing repeated objections from member states. The expansion marks a significant enlargement of the world’s largest free movement zone.
John Q. Hosedrinker