Romanians arriving at airports in Schengen countries continue to face security controls

Romanians arriving at airports in Schengen countries continue to face security controls despite Romania's partial accession to the Schengen area, according to complaints voiced by Romanian Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Vlad Gheorghe.

Gheorghe, who recently traveled to Paris, highlighted the persistent issue encountered by Romanian passengers upon arrival in Schengen countries. Speaking to Euronews Romania, Gheorghe expressed his dismay, stating that all passengers arriving from Romania, including himself, were subjected to security checks by airport authorities.

"This was not an alternative control; the passengers were not taken randomly, but all of them, just as if we had passed through the border checks," Gheorghe emphasized.

While no official statement has been issued by the Schengen Member States regarding these continued controls, Gheorghe asserted that he believed the actions were coordinated across several countries. He cited complaints from Romanians arriving at German and Austrian airports, where similar security checks were reportedly conducted.

"It seems to me that it was an action coordinated in several countries. I also received these messages regarding airports in Germany or Austria, with the fact that, when getting off the plane, there were security filters where passengers’ passports were checked," Gheorghe remarked.

Gheorghe further elaborated on his experience, mentioning that when he inquired about the scope of the security checks, the response he received was evasive, leading him to suspect that only planes arriving from Romania and Bulgaria were being targeted.

Describing Romania's partial accession to the Schengen Area as a "bluff," Gheorghe announced his intention to escalate the matter to the EU Commission. He expressed his determination to file a complaint regarding the "abusive controls" endured by Romanians despite the country's partial entry into the Schengen Area via air and sea routes.

"I will be complaining to the Commission about the 'abusive controls' that Romanians are being put through even though the country has entered Schengen by air and sea," Gheorghe affirmed, urging those subjected to airport checks to provide him with information to substantiate the complaint.

Romania, alongside Bulgaria, officially gained partial entry into the Schengen Area by air and sea on March 31, 2024, bringing the total number of Schengen states to 29.

By fLEXI tEAM