Schengen visa holders can soon add Romania and Bulgaria to their Europe travel itinerary

From March, Schengen visa holders will be able to add two more countries on their travel itinerary to Europe. As per the latest news reports, the newest additions are Bulgaria and Romania This means individuals holding Schengen visas for European travel will now get the flexibility to include Bulgaria and Romania in their itineraries. The European Union recently reached an agreement that will allow these Balkan nations to apply Schengen system rules for entry into ports and airports. This development comes in the wake of Austria's partial withdrawal of its previous resistance to expanding the border-free area, opening doors to enhanced collaboration within the bloc. Bulgaria and Romania, having been EU members since 2007, faced opposition from certain member states regarding their efforts to combat corruption, organized crime, and secure their borders. Both nations historically faced challenges in corruption, but recent improvements have been acknowledged too. While the current approval primarily focuses on facilitating maritime and air travel, relaxation of rules for land borders may likely ensue shortly. Nevertheless, Austria remains cautious, expressing concerns about a potential surge in migrants. Vienna is steadfast in its commitment to fortifying land borders with additional EU funding and insists that Sofia and Bucharest share responsibilities in hosting migrants from Syria and Afghanistan. The potential easing of land controls holds substantial economic implications for Bulgaria and Romania, with expectations of streamlined commercial traffic and reduced wait times for trucks crossing the Danube River from Greece and Turkey. Bulgaria's Finance Minister Assen Vassilev discussed about the economic impact and elaborated that its full effect on the Bulgarian economy will be realized upon the opening of land borders. Bulgaria is resolute in its determination to persistently pursue this goal.