The European institutions are getting ready to welcome Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen area as early as in 2023. Entry into the border-free area can be considered a certainty, writes euractiv.bg, citing diplomatic sources in Brussels and in Sofia. This is going to take place in two stages – first for the airports as of October, and then for the land borders as of 1 January, 2024.

The biggest obstacle to Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area was the position of the Netherlands. Mark Rutte’s government has given the signal that it highly appreciates Bulgaria’s efforts to carry through a judicial reform. There is one more reason why Schengen’s door is opening – the election of a regular pro-European government in Sofia.

Austria’s objections to the enlargement of the Schengen area, against the background of the refugee crisis, have not been dropped, but Vienna is not expected to stand in the way of the two Balkan countries any more if it remains the only EU countries which is against, euractiv.bg adds.