Bulgaria's acting Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev described Sofia's full acceptance into the Schengen area as "a historic event", "a crowning achievement" and "the result of the efforts of many people".

Glavchev today visited the Kulata checkpoint on the border with Greece, together with ministers and representatives from state institutions, to mark Bulgaria's full integration into Schengen after land border controls were lifted from January 1, 2025.

He credited this achievement to "border guards, service workers, Frontex personnel and all our allies in the European Union".

"I am convinced that together we will better protect the EU's external borders," he said.

The acting prime minister noted that from Greece to Finland in the north and Portugal in the west, people can now cross without border checks.

"From the first days, the differences will become clear and Bulgarian citizens will experience the convenience of our full Schengen membership," he added.

Acting Tourism Minister Evtim Miloshev, who also visited the Kulata checkpoint, said Bulgaria is an attractive and safe destination. He was optimistic about the future of tourism, now that the country is a full member of Schengen.

Miloshev pointed out that Bulgaria's tourism product is very competitive, especially in terms of the quality-price ratio.

On 12 December 2024, the Council of the EU decided to lift checks on persons at the internal land borders with/and between Bulgaria and Romania. Both countries have been waiting for Schengen admission since 2010, when the EU Council reported that the legal requirements had been met. In the following years, despite this evaluation and repeated calls from the European Commission and the European Parliament, the necessary agreement was not reached in the EU Council.

Acting Interior Minister Atanas Ilkov and his Romanian counterpart, Catalin Predoiu, visited the Danube Bridge border crossing between Ruse and Giurgiu at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday to celebrate both countries' full Schengen integration. /BTA