Five additional crossing points into Romania to open on Wednesday

Interior Minister Marcel Vela said on Tuesday at Nadlac that after discussions in Budapest with his Hungarian counterpart from Hungary, five more crossing points into Romania were agreed to be opened.

"Starting tomorrow, after discussions, the Romanian and Hungarian Border Police will allow the transit of cars to take place through several more crossing points," Vela told journalists at the Nadlac I Border Crossing Point.

He mentioned that the Cenad, Turnu, Salonta, Valea lui Mihai and Urziceni points will also be opened.

"Hungary has a rule that says very clearly the transit hours from Hungary to Romania. It is not an interval that covers 24 hours out of 24 hours; it is a well-established interval that allows transit only within a time frame decided by the Budapest authorities. In the first phase it was until 01.00hrs at night, after we talked, and the Budapest authorities were quite open to our proposals, the interval was increased and now the transit is between 21:00hrs and 13:00hrs. That is the time interval you are allowed to cross Hungary. If you exceed the time, you will stop again at the entrance to Hungary and wait until 21:00hrs," said Vela.

He said that he talked with his Hungarian counterpart "precisely because this method engages a wave of entrances that generate congestion at the entrance into Romania."

"We also talked to our ambassador in Budapest; there have also been cases in which the Embassy steered from Budapest to the exits from the country from the northern part and the citizens wanted to enter Nadlac I and Nadlac II. And then a second initiative will be needed, in order to inform, in due time, all those who want to transit Hungary to Romania about the waiting times," Vela also said, specifying that he means informing people through other channels, not only on the website of the Border Police.

Vela announced that, after his discussions in Budapest, buses will have the right to enter Romania, and thus people will no longer have to travel by means of transport that leave them a few kilometers from the border with Romania, from where they have to come on foot to Romania.

On Wednesday morning, the heads of the border police in Romania and Hungary will meet to discuss all the solutions that will be adopted to decongest traffic between the two countries, according to Vela.

Asked if he was satisfied with organisation at the border, Vela said he was satisfied that staff had been supplemented and other measures had been taken.