Sandor Pinter

EU states on Thursday cleared Bulgaria and Romania to become full members of the borderless Schengen zone from the start of next year, officials said.

"It is a historic moment to finally welcome Bulgaria and Romania," said Hungarian Interior Minister Sandor Pinter, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency.

Romania and Bulgaria may become full members of Europe's borderless Schengen travel zone in January 2025, Hungary said on Friday, adding a final decision would be made at next month's meeting of EU interior ministers.

Hungary's Interior Minister, Sandor Pinter, announced that Romania and Bulgaria have a chance to fully join the Schengen area starting in January 2025. His statement came after an informal meeting in Budapest involving the interior ministers of Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, and Austria.

The Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union plans to include the topic of lifting land border checks for Bulgaria and Romania in the Schengen area on the agenda for the European interior ministers' meeting in December.

Budapest – Interior Minister Aleš Hojs called for better control over who enters the EU as he took part in a meeting of the home affairs ministers of the Visegrad Group plus Austria and Slovenia in Budapest on Tuesday. He said securing EU borders should remain top priority.

The crowding reported at the entrance to Romania shifted from the Nadlac II Border Crossing Point (PTF) to the Nadlac I PTF where, on Friday morning, the waiting time was four hours.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on May 4 named Interior Minister Sandor Pinter and Economy Minister Mihaly Varga as deputy prime ministers in his new government.

Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic spoke on Thursday in Budapest with his Hungarian counterpart Sandor Pinter about illegal migration.

They also discussed cooperation in protecting external borders and exchange of information in the fight against human trafficking, the Serbian government announced.

Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic spoke on Thursday in Budapest with his Hungarian counterpart Sandor Pinter about illegal migration.

They also discussed cooperation in protecting external borders and exchange of information in the fight against human trafficking, the Serbian government announced.

SOFIA - A trilateral meeting of the prime ministers of Serbia, Bulgaria and Hungary was held in the Bulgarian city of Burgas late Tuesday.

Aleksandar Vucic, Boyko Borissov and Viktor Orban discussed their countries' cooperation in the energy sector, the situation in the region and the migrant crisis.