Since the beginning of April, Romanians at airports do not have to go through passport checks when traveling to other EU countries. Instead, they go straight to the departure gates. Thirteen years after the original rejection, the country from southeastern Europe became part of the intra-European Schengen area. But the victory declared by the Romanian leaders is only partial. This is also why entry into Schengen plays only a minimal role in the upcoming European elections.
EURO SERIES
Bucharest
2:12 p.m April 27, 2024
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Abandoned houses are also in the center of the Romanian capital | Photo: Tomáš Havlín | Source: Czech Radio
“European elections, well. But I think they put them on the same day as the Bucharest mayor’s election, because if you go to vote for the mayor, you might vote for the European Parliament as well. Few people would get out of bed just because of the European elections,” says father of two Adrian, an archaeologist by profession, in the center of the Romanian capital.
Election booths are already scattered along its streets. Billboards promise that things will go better with self-confidence or that we can’t steal the country.
The far-right party AUR even issued portraits of historical figures such as the Wallachian princes Vlad III. Dracula and Michal the Brave. However, there are few European topics.
“Some non-governmental organizations have issued statements that overlapping elections violate the principles of democracy. Because there is no debate about European issues. I wouldn’t even know who was running if I didn’t have political parties on Facebook. And what’s more – what to decide? I don’t think anyone is putting together a program of what they want to achieve in the European Parliament,” describes Romanian sociologist Irina Zamfirescu.
Schengen only for some
At the same time, it would seem that one topic suitable for European elections and gaining political points would be found. At the end of March, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu from the strongest party of the Social Democrats called it a victory for Romania and the correction of a long-standing injustice that the country finally joined Schengen.
Bulgaria and Romania joined the Schengen area. But ground checks remain
Read the article
But there is a catch. Romanians do not have to go through passport control only when flying or traveling by sea to other EU countries. However, if they head to neighboring Bulgaria or Hungary by land, they will not avoid inspection yet.
Lines at the border are formed mainly on holidays and vacations, truck drivers have to expect them all year round.
According to the manager of the Romanian travel agency Exact Travel, Adrian Radu, that is why many people do not take it to mean that Romania is part of Schengen. “You need money to travel. But those who have access to flights or can travel by sea to other Schengen countries are only a minority in our country. When everyone can profit from it, it will mean something. Until then, the issue is more that people are tired of political corruption and that we survive from day to day,” he says.
Will more tourists come?
Prime Minister Ciolacu announced the partial entry into Schengen at Timisoara Airport on the occasion of the opening of a new terminal that will handle up to 800 passengers per hour.
The airport in the third largest Romanian city, Iasi, also received similar modifications. The government thereby signals that it expects an influx of tourists from the abolition of passport controls.
However, Adrian Radu from the travel agency Exact Travel is rather skeptical about the strengthening of tourism: “It is a bit early to make any estimates. But how much will waiting times be reduced – by half an hour, by an hour? If you’re going on a week’s vacation, I don’t think it’s a deciding factor. The abolition of land border controls would have a greater impact. And even for Romanians traveling abroad. If they knew they wouldn’t have to wait, it would be easier to decide to just go to cheaper Bulgaria for the weekend to the beach or the ski slopes.”
Even sociologist Irina Zamfirescu is not expecting a major influx of tourists to Bucharest. Even so, according to her, Romania should start talking about, for example, the availability of housing, which is being reduced by intensive tourism in many European countries.
“Even many politicians use the phrase: we want it to look like abroad here. And in the name of making the city nice for tourists, they evict vulnerable people from historic houses in the city center and threaten to take away their children. At the same time, we do not have any social housing. Over 98 percent of real estate is in private hands, which is the most in the European Union,” says sociologist Irina Zamfirescu from the University of Bucharest.
EURO SERIES
In June, new MEPs will be elected and then the European Commission will be established, the institution will set priorities for the next five years. What themes crystallized before the European elections? And what drives the campaign in the member states? Moods in the Czech Republic are mapped in detail by the project Divided by Europe, the atmosphere in the other 26 countries of the Union will now be brought closer by the Euroseries of Radiožurnál and iROZHLAS.
It presents differences from west to east and from north to south. They will focus on the fight against climate change in Portugal, the popularity of the French extreme right, the fight against Russian disinformation in Estonia or the departure of Croats to other EU countries.
Tomas Havlin
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