President Klaus Iohannis declared on Wednesday that Romania’s joining the Schengen border-free zone by air and sea was an important milestone success and emphasized that the lifting of land border controls also remains a priority objective.

„The European Union remains a free movement area par excellence. Romania’s admission to the Schengen Area with its air and sea borders was an important milestone success and reconfirmed the fact that our country effectively ensures the protection of the European Union’s external borders and fully deserves to be part of this space. The lifting of land border controls remains a priority objective for us. I am convinced that we will succeed in completing this collective effort, to the benefit not only of Romanian citizens, but of a more prosperous Union free of artificial hindrances,” the head of the state told the meeting with mission & consular office heads and ICR directors gathered at the Cotroceni Palace for the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy.

Iohannis emphasized that at a European level, Romania continues to be a balancing factor, strengthening the integration and promotion of the Union as a strong actor, with a significant global impact.

„We have constantly acted to increase the Union’s cohesion, resilience and solidarity, without internal fragmentation,” said the president, who also referenced the 2019 EU Summit in Sibiu which – according to him – has put its mark on the history of the European bloc, setting the foundation for the strategic constructions of the period 2019 – 2024.

AGERPRES