Hungarian-Romanian border controls abolished as Romania joins Schengen area

The head of the National Police Headquarters, Lieutenant General János Balogh and the head of the Romanian Border Police Inspectorate, Chief Inspector Cornel-Laurian Stoica, symbolically opened the border between Hungary and Romania. During the ceremony, the Hungarian Police Orchestra played the anthem of the two countries and the European Union.

The leaders jointly opened the barrier at the border crossing point of the Csanádpalota motorway at 0:00 Romanian time on 1 January 2025.

A similar ceremony was held at other crossing points along the Hungarian-Romanian border.

Speaking at the ceremony, János Balogh, the National Police Chief, said that the abolition of border controls on the Romanian-Hungarian border was an uplifting and historic moment. He said that "we have been waiting for this moment for a long time".

Romania's accession to the Schengen zone is an important national satisfaction for Hungary, as the abolition of border controls has separated millions of Hungarians, but what we have done now we have also done for our Romanian friends, said Levente Magyar, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (KKM) at the symbolic opening of the border crossing between Pocsaj and Biharkeresztes, according to MTI.

Cover photo (for illustration purposes onlyI: Getty Images