EU member countries reached agreement Saturday on removing air and maritime internal border controls with Bulgaria and Romania, but the two countries’ full entry into the bloc’s passport-free Schengen zone remains subject to further discussions.
Controls at sea and air borders with Romania and Bulgaria will be lifted as of March 31, the Council of the EU, which represents EU countries, said in a statement on Saturday. “A further decision should be taken by the Council to establish a date for the lifting of checks at internal land borders,” according to the statement.
The European Commission said talks on removing controls at land borders will continue in 2024. “A decision by the Council on this matter is expected to be taken within a reasonable time frame,” the EU executive said in a statement.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called Saturday’s decision “a historic moment for Bulgaria and Romania.”
“This is a major step forward for both countries and for the Schengen area as a whole,” von der Leyen said in a statement.
Romania and Bulgaria, both EU members since 2007, were passed over for entry into Schengen when Croatia was admitted a year ago. The Schengen area, which comprises 27 countries, grants free movement to more than 400 million EU citizens.
Austria had opposed the inclusion of Romania and Bulgaria in the Schengen zone due to concerns over illegal immigration. But in mid-December, Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner announced a softening of Vienna’s stance, offering passport-free travel by plane from those countries in exchange for tighter border security measures.
Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu last week announced a “political agreement” on Schengen entry. He expressed optimism about an eventual agreement on land borders, saying he was “convinced” those talks would produce a result in 2024.
The Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU hammered out the final agreement late on Saturday, just before the government in Madrid passes the baton to Belgium.
<p><img width="900" height="440" src="https://www.naijanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Jimoh-Ibrahim.jpg" class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://www.naijanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Jimoh-Ibrahim.jpg 900w, https://www.naijanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Jimoh-Ibrahim-300x147.jpg 300w, https://www.naijanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Jimoh-Ibrahim-768x375.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></p>
<h2>The lawmaker representing Ondo South senatorial district, <a href="https://www.naijanews.com/topic/jimoh-ibrahim/">Jimoh Ibrahim</a>, has declared his intention to contest in the governorship election in Ondo State.</h2>
<p>Ibrahim who noted that he is ready to contest, said the death of a former governor of the state, Rotimi Akeredolu, will enhance his chances of becoming the next governor.</p>
<p>The lawmaker, on Thursday, expressed optimism that there would be no imposition of a candidate from the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress and the Presidency.</p>
<p>Ibrahim, who spoke in Akure, the state capital, said President Bola Tinubu would allow a free and fair primary to enable the best candidate to emerge.</p>
<p>He said,<em> “I’m declaring my intention to run for the governorship election of Ondo State. Among the contestants, I am the oldest. I have contested election twice in my lifetime, one of which I contested for governorship position in 2003, and none of these contestants was on that ballot.</em></p>
<p><em>“The President will never say that we should go and work for the incumbent governor. He can only appeal that maybe he prefers one person if you can prefer him and if you cannot, go and do your election. So the President cannot say that I have taken this person so all of you should go and sit down. Even Buhari who is very clueless about anything can never do that.”</em></p>
<p>The APC governorship aspirant also noted that the death of former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu would not affect his chances but would rather increase the chance of winning the primary and the main election.</p>
<p>He further stated, <em>“Maybe the death of Aketi has enhanced my chances because Aketi is a human being, he can be subjectively objective at the last minute. But now that he is no more, that possibility is written off completely. So whoever is there, wants to run for governor will meet me at the field.</em></p>
<p><em>“So Aketi’s death doesn’t affect my chances at all, but it would rather enhance my chances to win the governorship position of this state. So we are working seriously to win this election."</em></p>
<p>He noted that economy and security were part of his cardinal programmes for the state, saying there was a need to empower the state Security Network Agency also known as Amotekun with modern technology to enable it to combat criminals effectively.</p>
<p>Ibrahim said, <em>“My programmes are very straightforward, we are to create moral efficiency and moral knowledge and make the body more efficient. We must also map Ondo State borders for a security network and then ensure that we will never have any cases of kidnapping, by making Amotekun a classic unique security outfit that will come with a good strategy to challenge any security issues in our state.</em></p>
<p><em>“So one of the areas we are looking at is to ensure that everybody in Ondo state can go to sleep with their eyes closed and that’s top most of our priority. Mapping every systems, the tactical operations of Amotekun have to come more distinct into technology, I want an Amotekun that is Information Technology informed because I have PhD in war."</em></p>
<p>As the primary of the political parties in the state is drawing nearer, many aspirants of the APC have shown their interest in the contest.</p>
<p>Some of them, apart from Jimoh Ibrahim, include the incumbent governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, a former Commissioner for Finance, Mr Wale Akinterinwa, a former Member of the House of Representatives Mr Mayowa Akinfolarin, the former Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Oladunni Odu (who is only the female among the aspirants), a former governorship aspirant of the APC, Chief Olusola Oke, Dr Paul Akintelure, Brig-Gen Olamide Ohunyeye (retd), among others.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.naijanews.com/2024/02/08/akeredolus-death-will-enhance-my-chances-of-becoming-ondo-governor-jimoh-ibrahim/">Akeredolu’s Death Will Enhance My Chances Of Becoming Ondo Governor – Jimoh Ibrahim</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.naijanews.com">Naija News</a>.</p>
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