Romanian authorities have blocked Austria’s participation in NATO meetings, reports the Austrian newspaper Kurier.
The same indicates that the recent decision is a “clear revenge” for Austria’s veto on Romania’s accession to the EU Schengen zone, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
According to the Austrian Foreign Ministry, Romania has requested more time before approving the accreditation of its country’s liaison officers to NATO. Liaison with non-NATO states, such as Austria, must be approved by each NATO member state before being accredited.
Building on Kurier’s article, a NATO spokesperson said: “We are counting on Romania and Austria to resolve any bilateral issue that may affect the activity of Austrian officers in NATO posts.”
Previously, SchengenVisaInfo.com reported that a bill was being passed by the Romanian Parliament, which, if approved, would require the country’s Interior Ministry vote against the interests of states that do not want Romania to join the borderless zone of Schengen, to the Justice and Home Affairs Council.
The target of this proposal is Austria as well as the Netherlands, following their veto in December last year, which blocked Romania’s accession to the Schengen area.
According to local media, the initiative signed by two unaffiliated parliamentarians also aims to force the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take action before the EU justice system if the JHA Council, following the veto vote also expressed by Austria. like the Netherlands, adopt or do not adopt decisions related to the full implementation of the EU acquis in Romania.
The bill with the number PLX 474/2023 is called “legislative proposal to complete law no. 373/2013, concerning collaboration between Parliament and the Government in the field of foreign affairs.
The initiators of such a proposal are deputies Bogdan Alexandru Bola and Alexandru Kocsis Cristea. It was submitted to the Romanian Parliament on August 24 and is open for public consultation until next month, or more precisely until October 5.
Romania has been waiting for more than ten years to join the Schengen area, but the process is still not complete. The European Commission has previously assessed that the Balkan country is ready to join Schengen, while the European Parliament recently supported its continued membership in a resolution on October 5 last year and in a debate on December 14 .