“Congratulations to Croatia, which is the new member of the Schengen area”. This was announced by Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan, on the sidelines of the Internal Affairs Council in Brussels. From 1 January 2023, checks on people at internal land and sea borders between Croatia and other Schengen area countries will be lifted. Checks at airports will end on March 26, 2023, for reasons of compatibility with Iata timetables. From 1 January 2023 Zagreb will also start issuing visas for the Schengen area and make full use of the Schengen IT system.
“Welcome and congratulations” to Croatia, “you are welcome to the Schengen area. You deserve to be a member of the Schengen area”, but “I am disappointed and I think I share this disappointment with the citizens of Bulgaria and Romania” for not being ok at the entrance to the free movement area of Sofia and Bucharest, underlined the European Commissioner for Internal Affairs Ylva Johansson, in Brussels on the sidelines of the EU Council.
