Bulgaria and Romania ‘one step closer’ to full membership in Schengen zone, Hungary says

Associated Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungarian officials say Bulgaria and Romania could become full members of Europe’s Schengen travel zone starting at the beginning of 2025. The two Balkan countries joined the European Union in 2007 but were not integrated into the borderless Schengen zone until March, when border checks were lifted from maritime and air travel. Land border checks remained in place due to opposition primarily from Austria, which has long blocked Romania and Bulgaria’s entry into Schengen over illegal migration concerns. But following a meeting of the Austrian, Bulgarian, Hungarian and Romanian interior ministers in Budapest on Friday, Austria lifted its opposition, paving the way for a final decision by a summit of EU interior ministers in December.