Romanian president expressed his hope that the country will become part of the EU’s passport-free Schengen zone this year

Romanian president expressed his hope that the country will become part of the EU’s passport-free Schengen zone this year

“Romania has once again demonstrated that it fully meets the criteria for Schengen integration by managing its external borders responsibly and efficiently. The decision in favor of Romania’s accession to Schengen this year will be a very important signal to our citizens of belonging and trust in the common European project,” Klaus Iohannis told reporters.

He added that Romania has also proven that it can protect the EU’s external borders.

In December 2022, EU interior ministers agreed on Croatia’s accession to the Schengen zone but postponed decisions on Bulgaria and Romania. Austria blocked the two countries’ accession, saying that their efforts to combat illegal migration on their territories were insufficient. Illegal migration is a security threat not only for Austria, but for the entire EU, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said at the time.

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