Romania's full accession to the Schengen Area, as of 1 January 2025, will be marked on New Year's Eve, by a Romanian-Hungarian ceremony, organized by the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) Bihor, at the occasional Border Crossing Point Rosiori - Pocsaj, Bihor County, which will include a symbolic moment of breaking an iron chain, a reminder of the separation of our country from the rest of Europe.

The historic moment will be marked by the presence of the Hungarian Deputy Foreign Minister Levente Magyar, the mayors of Rosiori and Pocsaj, alongside Minister Cseke Attila, MP Szabo Odon, priests from the two localities and local residents.

"It is a very important event not only for us or for those in the border area, but for all the others who have been waiting for this moment, mainly Romania's citizens. Practically, we become full members of the European Union. Justice is being done to Romania in the sense that, after years in which the technical data necessary to join the Schengen Area have been met by Romania, we practically become full members. I believe that this is an extremely important thing and, apart from the many negative things that have happened or may happen to us, this participation is a historic moment, as we are returning to where we belong, in the Western European culture. Let's be very clear - it is also a decision which shows that Romania's path is in this direction, towards Europe and not towards the East," MP Szabo Odon told AGERPRES on Tuesday.

The ceremony at the border will start with the arrival of officials between 00:15 - 00:30 (23:15 - 23:30 Hungarian time) and the singing of the Romanian and Hungarian state anthems. Exactly at 01:00 (Romanian time) / 00:00 (Hungarian time) the border crossing point will be opened and the chain will be cut.

"The idea came from some people who remembered the fall of the Iron Curtain, i.e. the Berlin Wall or the Austro-Hungarian border where there were barbed wire fences. So we wanted to leave something that we could use as a reminder for everyone else. One ring from this chain will be placed in a box and we will be able to give those who visit us from now on such a gift to remind them that there was once a border or a chain that separated us, which we have managed to break together. It is a symbolic gesture because, practically, this is happening under the Hungarian Presidency of the European Union, and it is precisely the Romanian-Hungarian border that is opening and we will be able to be in the same European space," said MP Szabo Odon.

The Border Crossing Point Rosiori - Pocsaj is one of the three occasional border crossing points that were opened in February 2017 in Bihor County, at the request of the neighboring localities across the border, together with Cheresig - Korosnagyharsany and Voievozi - Bagamer, under the Cross-border Cooperation Program 2007 - 2013. AGERPRES (RO - author: Eugenia Pasca, editor: Andreea Rotaru; EN - editor: Simona Iacob)