The Romanian ambassador, who left Austria after the turquoise-green government’s controversial veto against his country’s entry into the Schengen area, is likely to stay longer in his home country. As the Romanian media reported on Friday evening, Emil Hurezeanu is not expected to return until Vienna contacts Bucharest on the issue of Schengen expansion. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg does not see Austria as isolated within the EU.
Hurezeanu, who only took office in Vienna this summer, was recalled last week by the foreign ministry in Bucharest for consultations, a day after the red-white-red veto. Bucharest government insiders announced on Friday that the return of the ambassador to Vienna should not be considered until Austria has entered into a dialogue with the Romanian authorities about extending Schengen to the country.
“Something’s wrong”
In an APA interview on Friday, Austrian Foreign Minister Schallenberg spoke of a “perfectly normal discussion process” for Schengen expansion. If Austria, as a country “in the middle of the continent”, has the highest number of asylum applications in Europe, “then something is wrong”. It is therefore “legitimate when we say we need support”, emphasized Schallenberg, who was now sure that there was now a “stronger awareness”. “I am confident that we can take real action here in the coming months to get things done so that the numbers go down,” said the minister.
Media reports that the topic had been raised by ÖVP politicians for domestic reasons were described by Schallenberg as “complete nonsense”. It is short-sighted to think that “we would make a profit by suddenly pointing out the high number of asylum applications in Austria.” Simply, “We don’t want to be left alone with this topic.” It is also legitimate if, for example, the ÖVP Chancellor Karl Nehammer used the term “asylum tourism”, Schallenberg thought. After all, people would fly to Belgrade under false pretenses and using the visa-free regime for Serbia and then be smuggled into the EU. “abusing a system that exists so that people who really need protection should get protection.”
“There is a legal basis for border fences”
Regarding demands from EU Minister Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP) and Chancellor Nehammer to erect fences at the EU’s external borders, Schallenberg said: “There would be a legal basis and there would be financial resources to do this.” all European countries should “shoulder each other” for external border control. However, a “common foreign and border policy” was rejected by several states when the Schengen area was created without controls at the EU’s internal borders.
In principle, the European Union must proceed “much more geostrately” in the migration issue, demanded the Foreign Minister. “We are the greatest power in the world when it comes to development cooperation. The European Union is the largest donor of humanitarian aid in the world. We are a trading power and a financial power.” However, the EU has so far failed “to use this as a lever to induce corresponding behavioral changes in the recipient and partner countries,” said Schallenberg, referring to the areas of ” readmission agreements, climate, human rights”. Conclusion: “We need to be more geo-strategic and make better use of these levers.”
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
