Romania border security and police institutional reforms

Following Romania’s full accession to the Schengen Area on January 1, 2025, border security management between Romania and Hungary has transitioned from fixed checkpoints to compensatory measures. Under a bilateral agreement, Hungarian police participate in joint patrols within Romanian territory, up to ten kilometers from the border, to monitor transit traffic and individuals. The Hungarian National Police Headquarters reports that illegal migration pressure has not significantly increased, with enforcement shifting toward inspections on highway networks.

Concurrently, the Romanian Border Police is facing internal scrutiny as the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) conducts a corruption probe. The investigation targets officials suspected of accepting bribes to allow the illegal passage of goods, resulting in the preventive arrest of an officer in Dorohoi.

In response to institutional challenges, the proposed Mureșan government has outlined reforms for the Ministry of Internal Affairs. This plan involves restructuring the Romanian Police, the Border Police, and the General Inspectorate for Immigration into a single entity known as the National Police, while redefining the duties of the Gendarmerie to reduce resource duplication.