Photo: Ricardo Oliveira (PM's cabinet)


“There was no better way to finish the Portuguese presidency than to abolish borders, the real European aspiration”, stated José Sócrates, Portuguese prime minister and current president of the European Council, at the end of the symbolic ceremonies to open the Polish and Czech Republic borders to the Schengen area.

For José Sócrates, this enlargement is “a historic moment”, when European ideals come true. “The European ideal is an ideal for a space of freedom and security”.

The Schengen area of free circulation of persons and goods was enlarged, starting today, at 00h00, to those countries that joined the EU in 2004: Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia, excepting Cyprus.

“The European ideal is an ideal for a space of freedom and security”, stressed the current president of the European Council. Sócrates also mentioned the fact that it was a Portuguese company – Critical Software – that created SISone4all, a technological solution that enabled a transitory solution to be set up until the new Schengen information system (SISII) is concluded.

“There could have been no better ending for the Portuguese presidency than this one: it is the moment when all Europe gets together, it is the celebration of the European space”.