Romanian members of the European Parliament Dacian Cioloș and Vlad Gheorghe, as well as officials from Bulgaria and Greece, proposed the lifting of controls at the Schengen land borders when entering Greece for Romanians and Bulgarians. They sent a letter to the Greek minister of immigration with this request.

"Together with elected officials at the European and national levels from Romania, Bulgaria, and Greece, we have sent an official letter to the Greek minister of immigration and asylum, proposing to request the lifting of border controls at the Schengen land borders when entering Greece for Romanians and Bulgarians. This can be done at the JAI Council meeting taking place today in Brussels,” said MEP and former prime minister Dacian Cioloș.

“This is also a request from tourism associations in northern Greece to the Athens government. As long as we do not have a clear timetable for accession to the Schengen area with land borders, it is our duty to keep the issue on the European agenda. The fact that Romania has accepted all the conditions set by Austria for the partial application of a right we have had for 13 years makes it more difficult. EU member states are eager to move past the Schengen episode and focus on other issues,” he added.

Romanian MEP Vlad Gheorghe, Greek MEP Georgios Kyrtsos, and Bulgarian MP Daniel Lorer also signed the letter sent to the greek minister of immigration.

Romania is set to enter Schengen in March this year, but currently only for maritime and aerial travel. 

radu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Askoldsb | Dreamstime.com)