Romania and Bulgaria are set to become full members of the Schengen Area as of 1 Jan. 1, 2025. Austria has given up its opposition and the EU interior ministers gave the green light for the accession of both countries today, Thursday. Currently, for Romanians and Bulgarians freedom of travel only applies for air travel. Commentators debate the significance of this step.
An important signal to Russia
Austria’s Kleine Zeitung welcomes the enlargement:
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The fact that Romania and Bulgaria will be full members of the Schengen Area from the beginning of next year is not only an important step for the population, which will now be able to move around within the EU much more easily. Admission also binds the region to the European Union, which is an important signal in view of the growing influence of Russia and China. A vivid example of this was the recent presidential election in Romania, which was apparently influenced by Russia and has now been cancelled.
One less bargaining chip
The lifting of border controls also has a less advantageous aspect for Bulgaria, Club Z concurs:
The main benefit of our EU membership is not so much the EU funds and freedom of travel, but rather the fact that the EU is helping us to become a true European constitutional state. Joining Schengen was one of the last remaining tools the EU had to push us in this direction. Because Bulgaria is not yet a true European constitutional state, but alternates between its shiny European façade and a disingenuous Eurasian essence.
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Free border traffic - with bottlenecks
Bulgaria's borders will not be completely open even after its accession to the Schengen Area, Sega explains:
Judging from what we know so far, there will be a significant easing of restrictions on travel to and from Greece. This is no small thing when you consider that Bulgarians make around two million trips to Greece every year. ... However, the situation is different at the other internal EU border with Romania. According to what we know of the negotiations so far, there will be a period of at least six months during which border controls will be maintained. ... And although they haven't said it openly, the Austrians apparently want a second constricted crossing point in addition to the Bulgarian-Turkish border.
Empty promise
Austria’s Salzburger Nachrichten questions what the Schengen Area stands for at this stage:
For the past two years, Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner has been pronouncing the Schengen Area 'kaputt' and even 'dead'. Whenever he had to justify Austria's blocking Romania's and Bulgaria's accession even though the countries have long since fulfilled the required criteria. ... To stay with the analogy, this expansion will not raise the Schengen Area from the dead. A number of member states still carry out controls at the EU's internal borders. There is still a lack of willingness to distribute the burdens of asylum and migration policy fairly. And the protection of the external borders is still not working as it should.
Schengen could be subject to major changes
Hungary’s 444.hu sees a lot of uncertainty regarding the future of the Schengen Area:
“Another question is what kind of Schengen system Romania will join. More and more countries are introducing border controls because of the refugee crisis. Germany decided to do this in the autumn because of crime rates among immigrant communities and the rise of the far right, Norway because of the threat of terrorism, and the Netherlands because of an increase in illegal immigration. ... No one can say anything about what the Schengen Area will look like when Romania and Bulgaria join.”
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