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Cyprus remains caught in a political and logistical bind as Bulgaria and Romania prepare to join the Schengen free-movement area on January 1, 2025, according to a report by Kathimerini's Pavlos Xanthoulis. While Cyprus is legally obligated to join, the island’s unresolved territorial division complicates its path to full membership.
Schengen Entry for Bulgaria and Romania
EU interior ministers are expected to approve Bulgaria and Romania’s accession to Schengen on December 12. The move follows a breakthrough agreement between Bulgaria, Romania, Austria, and Hungary, overcoming prior objections from Austria and the Netherlands. Both Sofia and Bucharest have pledged to enhance controls on irregular migration.
Cyprus’s Unique Challenge
But unlike Bulgaria and Romania, Cyprus faces a unique challenge: its division since 1974 between the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish-occupied north. If Cyprus joins Schengen without resolving this issue, the Green Line, currently a buffer zone, would become a hard external border of the EU. This shift would necessitate passport checks at crossing points, fundamentally altering their status and potentially increasing tensions.
EU officials have warned that full Schengen membership would require changes to the Green Line Regulation, which governs movement across the divided island. “The easy way to launch full accession is through solving the Cyprus problem,” an EU source stated, emphasizing that the lack of control over the occupied north complicates compliance with Schengen rules.
Political and Diplomatic Implications
Cyprus’s options are limited. It can either:
- Move forward with Schengen accession, transforming the Green Line into an official EU border, with all the associated diplomatic and operational challenges.
- Delay entry and seek informal extensions from Brussels, risking a “second-class” status within the EU, as full participation in both the Eurozone and Schengen is considered essential for a state’s core EU membership.
Cypriot officials have acknowledged the difficulty of the decision. “Our goal is full Schengen membership,” a government source affirmed. Preparations are underway to meet technical criteria by 2025, aligning with Cyprus’s EU Council presidency in 2026.
Security and Sovereignty Concerns
Cyprus is already linked to the Schengen Information System (SIS), enabling real-time data sharing on security threats and border management. However, full Schengen integration remains fraught with political risks. Officials fear that moving forward without resolving the Cyprus problem could undermine the Republic’s sovereignty by formalizing the division.
Long-Term Consequences
Delaying Schengen membership could further isolate Cyprus within the EU. A source close to the discussions noted that failing to integrate fully would limit Nicosia’s influence in Brussels and reduce the island’s ability to secure meaningful support on other issues, particularly regarding Turkey’s role in the region.
The broader geopolitical stakes are clear: resolving the Cyprus problem remains pivotal for the island’s future in Schengen and its standing within the EU. As one EU official remarked, “This highlights how critical a solution is for both communities on the island.”
Cyprus faces a looming decision: comply with Schengen’s requirements at the cost of redefining internal borders or negotiate a precarious path to delay membership, risking long-term political marginalization.
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