The Romanian Embassy in Bulgaria welcomed the passengers of the first Bucharest-Sofia flight after Schengen accession with tulips

Romania’s ambassador to Bulgaria, Brândușa Predescu, welcomed the first flight from Bucharest to Sofia at the airport in the Bulgarian capital after the accession of the two countries to Schengen. The ambassador offered yellow tulips and Romanian flags to the passengers who arrived in the neighboring country, informs BTA.

As of March 31, Bulgaria and Romania are full members of the Schengen area with air and sea borders, writes Agerpres.

We are European citizens, just like everyone else. Today is a moment where I don’t want to be pathetic, but some have called it a dream. It’s not a dream come true. It is a reality, a normality that happens in member states that are finally halfway through the process of full accession to the Schengen area. This is what we celebrate today, the ambassador said.

I am glad that, as the ambassador of Romania to Bulgaria, I can have this symbolic moment at the airport here in Bulgaria, which actually reflects what my colleague, the ambassador of Bulgaria in Bucharest, will do in about an hour or so, for to welcome the passengers of the first Schengen flight between Sofia and Bucharest, said Brândușa Predescu.

She highlighted the symbolism of what Bulgaria and Romania are doing together. We entered Schengen together, we prepared for Schengen very thoroughly, everyone did their part, but we also cooperated very closely and we continue to do so, this is the importance of this moment – with flowers, with smiles, but the work also continues, emphasized the ambassador.

Asked when the two countries will join Schengen by land, she said that the Romanian authorities are working tirelessly to complete this process. Not a day goes by that we don’t talk to all our partners in the European Union. Brândușa Predescu thanked, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, all the governments, all the member states and the European Commission, who supported and encouraged Romania and Bulgaria during these long years of preparation.

Bulgaria’s ambassador to Romania, Radko Vlaikov, was to welcome the first Schengen flight from Sofia to Bucharest on Monday.