The Schengen area no longer works, according to Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.
His comments ahead of the European Council are a response to Austria’s persistent opposition to Romania and Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area. SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
The Romanian president considered that Austria’s arguments concerning his country’s membership in the borderless zone are not transparent.
Austria clearly states that it has nothing against Romania and Bulgaria, but that it is opposed to the enlargement of the Schengen area.
Earlier this month, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer once again stressed that his country maintains its veto regarding the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area, adding that this decision has nothing to do with both countries.
Nehammer, however, recognized the efforts made by these two Balkan countries to protect the EU’s external borders. But earlier, the Austrian chancellor said that the Schengen area needed to be reformed, emphasizing that as long as it was not working, there would be no point in expanding it further.
On the other hand, the Romanian president also said that the Schengen agreement almost no longer exists after several countries reintroduced border controls due to immigration and the situation in the Middle East.
On December 8 last year, Austria blocked Romania’s accession to the Schengen area, citing problems of irregular migration.
Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska expressed earlier this month his hope that Romania and Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area will be finalized in December this year, stressing that this issue is among Spain’s main priorities, which currently holds the six-monthly rotating presidency of the Council of the EU.
However, Austria’s position remains the same. Bucharest warns it will take legal action against Austria on the Schengen blockade.
Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said that if Vienna maintains its veto in December this year at the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting, Romania would have the right to challenge the decision at the European Court of Justice.
If we remain in the logic where Austria uses its right of veto without justification, and not migration which is at 3 percent (…), I reserve the right to challenge Austria’s decision before the High Court.
Stressing that Romania and Bulgaria have met all the required requirements for more than ten years, Ciolacu considered Austria’s position unjustified.