European Union interior ministers decided on Thursday to drop internal border checks to Bulgaria and Romania from January 1, allowing free movement across Europe's vast open travel zone after years of negotiations.

Access comes as both countries face domestic political turmoil and the zone is jeopardised by new border controls

European Union interior ministers have decided to allow the two eastern European countries accession to the Schengen free movement area. Austria, the final hold out against the move, declined to veto the decision.

Romania and Bulgaria will gain full access to the European Union’s passport-free area next year, following a grueling, nearly two-decade push that will help boost their struggling economies.

The Commission welcomes today's unanimous decision by the Council to lift internal land border controls with Romania and Bulgaria as of 1 January

The Netherlands has officially given the green light to the full admission of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen area following a vote in the Dutch Parliament to endorse the government's recent decision in this regard,

Bulgarian Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev addressed the Cabinet at the beginning of a crucial meeting where the most important laws of the year, including the State Budget Law, the Law on Public Health Insurance,