Romania and Bulgaria partially joined the Schengen area after 13 years of waiting

According to AFP News Agency, Romania and Bulgaria joining the Schengen area on March 31 opens the way for air and sea travel between these two countries and the EU without border checks.

However, due to Austria's veto, controls on the land border will still be maintained, as Austria opposes Eastern European countries becoming official members of the Schengen area because of concerns about the influx of applicants. Refugees flooded in.

Although only a partial member of the Schengen area, the removal of controls at the air and sea borders of the two countries has important symbolic value.

Foreign policy analyst Stefan Popescu said admission to Schengen was an "important milestone" for Bulgaria and Romania.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared: “This is a great success for both countries and a historic moment for the Schengen area. Together, we are building a stronger, more united Europe for all its citizens."

With the accession of Bulgaria and Romania, the Schengen area now has 29 members, including 25 of the 27 EU member states, along with Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. 

Schengen regulations will apply to Romania's 4 seaports and 17 airports, of which the international airport in Otopeni near the capital Bucharest is the largest hub.

The Romanian government said more staff including border police and immigration officers would be deployed to assist passengers and detect those wanting to leave Romania illegally. Random checks are also carried out to combat fake documents and human trafficking.

Both Bulgaria and Romania hope to fully integrate into Schengen by the end of the year, but so far Austria has only made concessions on air and sea routes.

Established in 1985, Schengen currently allows more than 400 million people to travel freely between member countries without internal border controls.