A dog became the very first to cross the newly opened Romania-Hungary border, igniting thousands of excited reactions on social media. In a video uploaded to TRT World’s Tiktok page, a tan-colored stray dog was filmed venturing from Hungary into Romania under the applause of dozens of border guards.
The video, which has amassed nearly 7.7 million views, showed the adorable pooch crossing the two countries in Petea, Romania, on Wednesday (January 1).
The viral clip captured the four-legged traveler perfectly timing their entrance into Romania, as the checkpoint barrier lifted just as the dog strutted toward the neighboring country.
Border guards in uniform holding Hungarian and Romanian flags on their respective ends of the checkpoint were seemingly pleased to welcome their first cross-border visitor as they broke into applause.
A dog became the very first to cross the newly opened Romania-Hungary border
Naturally, a slew of people flocked to express their amusement, as a TikTok user commented: “Dog is like I’m done with this country.”
A person wrote: “This is so funny the clapping and the confusion of the dog.”
“He was scared still though going through it lol,” a netizen added.
Someone else penned: “And nobody cared to interview him.”
An observer noted: “Loll the dog is like this has never happened to me before.”
A cybernaut shared: “Doggie traveled more countries than me.”
In the video, a tan-colored stray dog was filmed venturing from Hungary into Romania
“Will people be able to travel or is it just for the dogs?” a commentator asked.
A separate individual chimed in: “That dog is confused but happy to participate.”
The newly opened border is likely to see more furry cross-border globetrotters, as both countries are home to a large population of stray dogs.
Romania has finally entered the Schengen Area and a dog was the first to cross the Romanian-Hungarian border with everyone clapping for it pic.twitter.com/E7bdtChwtH
— tinerețe coaie crețe (@coaiecrete) January 1, 2025
In Romania, there are an estimated 500,000 to over 600,000 stray dogs, which is more than any other European country, according to PETA UK.
Moreover, in Hungary, there are more than 500.000 stray dogs, as per Help Hungarian Dogs.
Romania and Bulgaria have become full members of the Schengen zone, expanding the borderless area to 29 members and ending a 13-year wait for the two Eastern European countries, Al Jazeera reported on Wednesday.
The newly opened border is likely to see more furry cross-border globetrotters
Image credits: coaiecrete
The Schengen Zone is a group of European countries that have eliminated border checks, allowing people to travel freely between member nations without needing to show their passports.
This arrangement simplifies travel, boosts tourism, and makes business and trade across Europe much easier.
The expansion happened at midnight local time on Wednesday, after Austria and other countries dropped their objections to the former communist nations joining and celebrated with ceremonies at several border crossings.
Identification checks at the land borders between Bulgaria and Romania and their neighboring European Union member countries officially ceased at midnight, providing travelers free access to the rest of the 27-member bloc, according to Al Jazeera.
For Bulgarians and Romanians, this means they can now drive to countries like France, Spain, and Norway without needing a passport.
Travelers no longer have to present identification, and vehicles can cross borders without any checks.
On the first day of the new year, Bulgaria’s caretaker prime minister, Dimitar Glavchev, symbolically lifted the border barrier at the Kulata crossing between Bulgaria and Greece, Euronews reported on Wednesday.
The viral clip ignited thousands of excited reactions on social media
“Today is a historic moment, the fruit of the efforts of many people,” Dimitar said. “It is also a fact thanks to the border police, the military, Frontex staff, and all our allies in the European Union.”
He added: “Together, we will all be much better able to protect the EU’s external borders from Greece all the way to Finland.”
Some 1 million ethnic Hungarians live in the Transylvania region of Romania, a legacy of the partition of Hungary following World War I, according to Euronews.
Image credits: Daniil Silantev / Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
Hungarian Police Headquarters chief Janos Balogh described the removal of border checks at the Hungary-Romania border as a historic and uplifting moment.
He told local media: “We’ve been waiting a long time, and eagerly, for this moment.”
Janos further noted that this extraordinary event was the result of long years of hard work and perseverance, Hungarian newspaper Magyar Nemzet reported on Wednesday.
“He’s a good boy,” a reader commented
