Romania, Bulgaria fully join Schengen border-free zone

Romania and Bulgaria have become full members of the European Union’s border-free Schengen area on Wednesday after lifting land border controls.

The expansion was officially introduced at midnight Wednesday and was marked by celebrations at some of the countries’ border checkpoints.

At the Kulata-Promachonas checkpoint area on the Bulgarian side of the border between Bulgaria and Greece, the checkpoint ceased operations at midnight, and drivers crossing the border were no longer subject to border inspection.

A ceremony was also held at the Ruse-Girgiu land border crossing connecting Bulgaria and Romania on Tuesday.

The Romanian Border Police confirmed that 40 border crossing points are now fully operational without checks, streamlining travel and trade across the region.

Travelers moving to or from other Schengen states, excluding Cyprus and Ireland, no longer need to stop for document verification.

However, authorities will conduct random checks within a 30-km border zone using mobile devices and risk-based assessments.

“In the past two years, there have been long queues at this border point. Some vehicles have had to be diverted to North Macedonia. And now, we have high expectations,” said border resident Georgi Trenchev.

According to AFP, both Bulgaria and Romania joined the European Union in 2007 and reached the “technical threshold” for joining the Schengen area in 2011.

However, some Schengen member states opposed it as they believed that the two countries had not done enough to prevent illegal immigration, and it was not until the end of March 2024 that Bulgaria and Romania partially joined the Schengen area, which means air and sea border controls between the two countries and other Schengen countries were canceled, but land border controls were still maintained.

Economic analysts believed that the full accession to the Schengen Area will help the GDP of both countries grow by at least one percentage point.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said that joining the Schengen Area will significantly reduce customs waiting time, reduce logistics costs and attract more foreign investment.

The Schengen Area is an area encompassing 29 European countries that have officially abolished border controls at their mutual borders.

The Schengen area allows more than 400 million people to travel freely between member countries without going through border controls, according to the official website of the EU Council.

Welcoming 2025 in the UAE, locals and visitors from around the world came together to celebrate the New Year with dazzling light displays, laser shows, and fireworks at the world’s tallest building in Dubai, as well as breathtaking fireworks and a captivating drone performance in Ras Al Khaimah, the UAE’s northernmost emirate.

As the clock struck midnight in Dubai, a spectacular nine-minute performance themed ‘Beyond Dreams’ officially began at the world’s tallest building — the Burj Khalifa. The show featured a mesmerizing blend of light displays, lasers, and fireworks.

Over 15,600 firework elements and more than 200 laser beams lit up the city, infusing vibrant colors and electrifying energy into the New Year celebrations.

Another 36 fireworks display sites across Dubai also lit up simultaneously, brightening the Dubai skyline.

Thousands of tourists from around the globe gathered near the iconic building to revel in the spectacular night and make their New Year wishes.

“For me, lose a couple of pounds. That’s the usual thing. And to travel more. Travel more and see the world,” said Carlos Fong, an American tourist.

“Obviously doing our best, being the greatest that we can be, and looking forward to another year,” shared Maryam, an Australian tourist.

“Work, good work, make money. That’s my goals for the year 2025,” noted Elias Manjui from Germany.

“For everyone, have a good year, stay happy, keep smiling,” added Zeeshaan, a tourist from the UK.

“We wish for all people health, this is very important, and everybody must be happy together,” said a Slovak tourist.

At the same time, Ras Al Khaimah bid farewell to 2024 and welcomed the New Year with a dazzling spectacle of drones and fireworks.

Set against the stunning 4.5-kilometer seafront, vibrant fireworks and a fleet of 1,400 drones illuminated the night sky. The drones artistically formed shapes such as the UAE’s national treasure — the falcon — and iconic palm trees, among others.

Tourism officials emphasized that no effort had been spared in preparing for the grand show.

“We have been preparing for the fireworks in Ras Al Khaimah for years. This is something that continues, and usually, when we finish the last firework, we start automatically preparing for the next year because this is one of our biggest shows of the year,” said Raki Phillips, CEO of the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA).

The performance drew over 100,000 on-site spectators, many of whom expressed their admiration.

“I’ve traveled over, probably easily over 18 countries, and I had New Year’s in so many countries. And I’ve seen fireworks, a lot of it. This was probably one of the best ones I’ve seen,” said Myra Jacques, a tourist from Fiji.