Border Checks Between Bulgaria and Romania Officially Abolished After Six-Month Transition

As of midnight on July 1, border checks between Bulgaria and Romania have officially been lifted, marking a significant step forward in the implementation of the Schengen Agreement for the two countries. This move ends the transitional period of heightened control at the internal border, which had remained in place for six months following their accession to the Schengen area by land on January 1, 2025.

The temporary border regime was the result of an agreement brokered with Austria, which had initially opposed Bulgaria and Romania's full Schengen entry....