Austria’s veto against the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area drew strong criticism from the countries concerned. Romania’s Lower House Speaker Marcel Ciolacu even spoke of an “unexpected Christmas present” for Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin on Thursday. The “absurd and unfair” vote will “undoubtedly have consequences”. Bulgarian Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev described Austria’s and the Netherlands’ veto of joining Schengen as “politically motivated”. But there are no countermeasures to be taken.
As reported, Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) voted against the Schengen admission of Bulgaria and Romania on Thursday. He justified this mainly with the high number of asylum applications in Austria and called for further action by the EU Commission.
This is now leading to criticism and misunderstanding from the Bulgarian and Romanian governments. The Romanian leader of the ruling Socialists (PSD) and Speaker of the House of Commons, Marcel Ciolacu, found the sharpest words. The Austrian government served “Russian interests” with the veto power and gave Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin an “unexpected Christmas present”. Austria’s “absurd and unfair mood” will have “undoubted consequences”. Ciolacu is expected to become prime minister in May 2023.
Prime Minister of Romania: “Incomprehensible”
Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca of the Liberal Party (PNL) was slightly less aggressive. He could not understand the “inflexibility of the Austrian federal government with the best will in the world”. However, Romania will not give up on being part of the Schengen area, especially since all other EU countries have voted in favor of it.
Bulgaria confident
Bulgarian Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev described Austria’s and the Netherlands’ veto of joining Schengen as “politically motivated”. However, no countermeasures are being taken and Austria has also indicated that it is willing to compromise. A proposal from Bulgaria is mixed border patrols with Austrian border officials. “Unlike Austria, things are more difficult with the Netherlands,” said the Minister of the Interior. The counterarguments here included corruption and that Bulgaria did not sufficiently respect human rights.
Demerdzhiev is convinced that Bulgaria can join next year and will focus on a compromise solution. According to Foreign Minister Nikolay Milkov, the Eastern European country has long met all the criteria to become a member of the border-free area.
criticism from Austria
Criticism came from Austria, including from NEOS and Green MEPs Monika Vana and Thomas Waitz. “Our local businesses will pay the price for Karner’s careless veto,” NEOS MP Claudia Gamon said in a broadcast. The veto in the fight against illegal migration does not go far enough for the liberals. The asylum chaos was far from resolved, said FPÖ security spokesman Hannes Amesbauer.
Croatia, on the other hand, received the green light on Thursday to join Schengen. From January, 27 European countries will be part of the visa-free zone. These are 23 EU countries, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. For a country to join the Schengen area, all existing members must agree.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
