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Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-12-21
CONTENTS
[01] Athens welcomes 9 new Schengen members
[01] Athens welcomes 9 new Schengen members
Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Valinakis on Friday welcomed the
accession of nine European Union member-states into the Union's
Schengen Area, referring to a "historic development" for the
continent.
"I would like to congratulate Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta,
Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic, who after
concerted efforts, were able to successfully meet Schengen Pact
conditions," Valinakis said.
The Greek minister also noted that the latest expansion of the Schengen
Area now allows easier and faster travel for 400 million people of 24
countries on the European continent.
Valinakis reminded that Greece, due to its geographical position,
places particular emphasis on two aspects of Schengen principles: to
absolutely meet modern security demands, as well as to better
facilitate the movement of people to the east Mediterranean nation.
Caption: The Nachod border point between Poland and Czech Republic as
seen on Dec. 4, 2007. As of 21 December 2007, nine countries that
joined the European Union in 2004, including the member states of the
Visegrad Group, will be part of the Schengen agreement, a zone without
internal border control. ANA-MPA /EPA/ADAM AWALEJ
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