Multi-speed Europe

Romania's Schengen accession on March 31 brings about notable changes at Bucharest's Henri Coanda International Airport as Austrian officers will collaborate with Romanian counterparts in passport and document scrutiny. The collaboration aims to enhance border security and streamline identity verification processes for travelers entering the Schengen zone.

The Customs Agency of Bulgaria has intensified scrutiny on all goods entering and exiting Austria, implemented across checkpoints and territory, aligning with the country's commitment to Austria and Schengen entry obligations.

Proposals for changes to the Asylum and Refugee Act, concerning Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen zone, are now available for public feedback on the Council of Ministers' Public Consultation Portal.

Croatia has achieved an unprecedented milestone, becoming the first country to simultaneously join both the eurozone and the Schengen area on January 1, 2023. However, this historic move has sparked mixed sentiments within the nation.

Chief Commissioner Anton Zlatanov from Bulgaria's Border Police addressed recent developments regarding Bulgaria's Schengen entry and the evolving migrant situation in Europe.

Razvan Nicolescu, a Romanian analyst, expressed strong criticism against Austria's government, accusing it of adopting anti-European behaviors during discussions about Bulgaria and Romania's Schengen area accession. In an interview with Bulgaria's National Radio (BNR), Nicolescu highlighted concerns about Austria's conditions that deviate from Schengen criteria.

Transport Minister Georgi Gvozdeikov revealed Bulgaria's prospects for full Schengen membership, linking it to the impending adoption of the euro. Gvozdeikov anticipates a lift in land border controls as the country aims for full Schengen integration by the year's end, coinciding with the projected euro adoption in 2025.

Kostadin Kostadinov, the leader of Bulgaria's nationalist pro-Russian Vazrazhdane (Revival) party, strongly opposes Bulgaria signing the EU Migration Pact, cautioning that it could transform the country into a sprawling refugee camp.

Ilhan Kyuchyuk, a prominent Bulgarian Member of the European Parliament representing "Renew Europe," has expressed a tempered view on Bulgaria's Schengen prospects, suggesting that the country may face delays in its land-based Schengen entry.

Hundreds of Kosovars rushed to Pristina airport to travel to EU countries on Monday after visas for Europe's open-borders Schengen zone were waived.

Kosovo was the only country in the Western Balkans whose citizens still needed visas to travel to the EU, many of whose members are part of the programme.