The full integration of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen Zone have led to a tourism boom in both Balkan countries since the beginning of this year.
In particular, traffic has significantly increased on the Danube Bridge connecting Ruse, in Bulgaria and Giurgiu, Romania, Schengen.News reports.
The statistics from Romania’s road management agency reveal that nearly 160,000 cars passed through the border at Giurgiu between January and March 2025, in comparison to 128,000 registered during the same period in 2024.
The surge has been driven by Romanian visitors reaching Ruse for purposes such as shopping, tourism and leisure.
In addition, the increased number of tourists has had a positive impact on local businesses. Hotels and restaurants are experiencing a surge in revenue in particular.
Restaurant manager Todor Ratsov told AFP that full integration into the EU’s borderless area of Schengen has brought a positive impact on the city after there are many more tourists.
There are quite a few Romanian tourists, mainly because of easier entry. 90 per cent of the menu is now in Romanian.
Successful Management of Borders
The Interior Minister of Bulgaria, Daniel Mitov, in February this year said that the country’s border with Türkiye is among the best-protected onesciting statistical data.
The Minister said that the Interior Ministry has managed to deal with the increasing amounts of drugs being seized as well as human traffickers arrested along Bulgaria’s Schengen borders.
Back then, the Border Police Director, Anton Zlatanov, said that Bulgarian police aim to achieve even better results.
We maintain presence and conduct checks on each road from and to our neighbours.
Full Schengen Accession Since Beginning of 2025
Bulgaria together with Romania officially became full Schengen Zone members on January 1, 2025abolishing all land border controls.
Such a decision came after the approval from the European Union Ministers to permit these two countries to become the newest members of the EU’s visa-free travel area.
Bulgaria and Romania entered the Schengen Zone partially in March 2024, by air and sea, but back then, it was agreed that land border controls should continue to remain effective.
In December 2024, the Finance Minister of Romania, Marcel Boloș, said that the full accession of Romania to the Schengen Zone is a game-changing moment for the country’s economy.
He emphasized that with the lifting of border controls at land borders, carriers would save millions of euros yearly.