Historic moment: Border opens between Romania and Hungary
On 31 December, Romania marked a historic milestone by ending regular border checks at its crossings with Hungary, coinciding with the country’s accession to the Schengen Area. A symbolic border-opening ceremony was held at the temporary crossing point between Zajta (Hungary) and Nagypeleske (Romania), led by the Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
According to Világgazdaság, the event was attended by several notable figures, including Gábor Kereskényi, Mayor of Satu Mare (Szatmárnémeti), Antal Elek Béres, Mayor of Lazuri (Lázári) in Romania, Attila Tilki, Hungarian Member of Parliament, and Zoltán Pál Kosztya, Mayor of Zajta.
Border opens between Romania and Hungary
Starting 1 January, Romania becomes a full-fledged member of the Schengen Area, eliminating systematic border checks at nearly 40 crossing points shared with Hungary and Bulgaria.
This historic development signifies not only the end of border controls but also the beginning of a new era of European integration. Crossing into Hungary will now feel like travelling to another Romanian county, remarked Ödön Szabó, an MP and regional leader of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ).
According to Maszol.ro, celebrations also took place in Bihor County, where participants symbolically cut “the chain of separation” at midnight, emphasising shared European values and the importance of cross-border cooperation.
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This is wonderful news, I never thought I’d live to see Romania and Bulgaria join Schengen but it was overdue. Open borders will completely transform the prospects of eastern Hungary, no longer on the fringes of the Schengen zone. This is particularly key now that Romania has become such a vibrant economy, allowing Hungarians living near to the border to find well-paid jobs in nearby large Romanian cities (that are often Hungarian speaking to boot) which are also strong in IT, the best paying industrial sector. The end of border formalities should save an hour on train journeys so even rail commuting will become viable. It really is a win-win for both Hungary and Romania.