ZAGREB,  12 Dec (Hina) – Croatia’s interior ministry on Thursday said that the admission of Bulgaria and Croatia to the passport-free Schengen Area will contribute to efforts to enhance security and improve protection of the European Union’s external borders as well as to a better border management.

Congratulating Sofia and Bucharest, the Croatian ministry recalls that the two countries had opened negotiations on the Schengen membership criteria 13 years ago, and have in the meantime successfully implemented all the required standards, including those pertaining to the external border control.

The news about approving the two countries’ entry into Schengen makes us extremely happy, and we are glad to see that the decision to this effect has been finally adopted today, the Croatian ministry said in a press release, adding “the stronger Schengen, the stronger Europe.”

EU Home Affairs Council, which today decided to lift internal border controls, made a decision a year ago to remove checks at air and sea border crossings for Bulgaria and Romania.

“Croatia has always supported the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen Area. We regret that such a decision was not made on 8 December 2022, when the decision on Croatia’s accession was made. However, we are pleased that today, all those member states that previously had reservations have recognized the importance of Bulgaria and Romania for the security of the entire Schengen Area, and that the Council of Interior Ministers today made a unanimous decision,” the Croatian ministry stated in the press release.