After Schengen veto – Romania ordered the Ambassador of Austria

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Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu on Thursday evening summoned Austria’s ambassador to Bucharest, Adelheid Folie, to hand her a letter of protest from the Romanian government over Austria’s “unjustified and unfriendly attitude” regarding Romania’s accession to Schengen. This has been announced by the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Austrian Foreign Ministry confirmed Folie’s “invitation”. However, nothing was given to her.

The conversation did not take place with Foreign Minister Aurescu, but with the Romanian Secretary of State for European Affairs, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Vienna clearly stated.

Romania speaks of “inevitable consequences”
The Romanian side said Austria’s veto would have “inevitable consequences” for bilateral relations. Protests were also made to the Austrian diplomat against recent allegations by Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer that Romanian authorities had put pressure on Austrian companies operating in Romania in view of the country’s intended entry into the border-free Schengen area. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest, such claims are “simply unacceptable” because they do not correspond to reality.

The Foreign Ministry in Vienna explained that the ambassador used the conversation “to once again explain Austria’s position on the Schengen extension and underline that Austria’s position is by no means directed against Romania (and Bulgaria).” Austria also recognizes Romania’s “extensive efforts”, the spokeswoman emphasized.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs: ‘Functioning border control is essential’
Moreover, it should be noted that the enlargement of Schengen “is not a political question, but a question of the security of Europe and of European citizens”. “A functioning EU external border control is an indispensable condition for an expansion of the Schengen area.” This is currently not the case when some 100,000 asylum applications are submitted in Austria by some 75,000 people who were previously not registered anywhere. “Even though they have traveled through several Schengen Member States or Schengen Associated States,” said the Foreign Ministry in Vienna.

Source: Krone

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