Merkel and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk attended a ceremony Friday formally opening their countries border at the Porajow-Zittau crossing, Polish Radio reported.

The dreams of free movement have come true for the generations of young people, their parents and grandaparents, Merkel said.

Tusk said Friday was a very special day for his generation that has been brought up in a divided Europe.

He said the expansion of the EU Schengen border-free zone to another nine member countries marked the triumph of freedom that is fundamental value for every European.

Nationals of the nine EU countries of Central and Eastern Europe now can travel without passports in the zone.