Romania

In a recent announcement by the European Commission, significant progress has been reported in the joint efforts to safeguard the external borders of Bulgaria and Romania. The EU's support has yielded promising outcomes, particularly in the areas of migrant returns, asylum procedures, and countering smuggling activities.

As tensions simmer in the Black Sea region, NATO's multinational exercise "Sea Shield" commences today, drawing more than 2,200 military personnel from Romania and allied nations. The exercise, spearheaded by the Romanian Navy, aims to enhance maritime security and combat readiness in the coastal area of the Black Sea and along the Danube River.

This year's edition of the multinational air force exercise Iniochos will kick off on Monday.

The drill, which will run until April 18, is organized every year at Andravida Air Base in Western Greece by the Hellenic Air Force, and will be conducted in the greater area of ​​the Athens Flight Information Region.

The European Union has opened two investigations into whether two Chinese bidders benefited excessively from subsidies in their offers in a public tender for a solar power park in Romania, the European Commision said on Wednesday.

In a recent informal meeting of EU leaders in Vilnius, outgoing Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov emphasized the importance of unity, security, and competitiveness for the European Union (EU) in the evolving geopolitical landscape. Denkov underscored Bulgaria's commitment to coordinated EU action with international partners to uphold a fair, rule-based global order.

The entry of Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen area by air and sea is anticipated to have a significant impact on tourism, with experts predicting a substantial increase in visitor numbers. According to international publication "Euronews," experts estimate that tourism in both countries could surge by 15 to 25 percent following their integration into the Schengen zone.

The inaugural flight between Bulgaria and Romania post their Schengen accession took off from Sofia on schedule at 12:40 p.m.

Airports in Sofia and Bucharest on Sunday removed passport check points for those departing to or arriving from most European Union member states as Bulgaria and Romania partially joined the Schengen open-travel zone.

Bulgaria has joined the Schengen area for free travel, but initially only by air and sea routes. This entails the elimination of border controls for air travel among member countries of the agreement. Here are some key questions and answers for travelers regarding this development:

What is Schengen?

Bulgaria and Romania are poised to become partial members of the Schengen area starting March 31. The European Commission announced that the Schengen rules will apply in both countries, signaling the elimination of border controls at internal air and sea borders.