Bulgaria and Romania are joining the Schengen Area in March. At first, it’s for folks flying or sailing in, and they’re still talking with Austria about land borders, says Bulgaria’s Prime Minister.
Austria was a bit worried about some things, but now they’re okay with it. The deal includes help from other European countries to make sure everything is safe.
Romania’s Prime Minister is excited too, saying on Facebook that from March next year, people from Romania can enjoy the Schengen Area by air and sea.
Before this, 23 out of 27 EU countries were already in the Schengen Area, plus some others. Austria said no to Bulgaria and Romania in 2022, but they said yes to Croatia. Some people think it was because of politics.
The plan now is to keep trying and join the whole Schengen Area next year. ‘Getting rid of air and sea borders in March 2024 is a big win after lots of talks, but we’re not stopping there,’ says Romania’s Prime Minister.”
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