The failure of Romania to join the European Union’s Schengen Zone has been considered a “profound injustice” by the Prime Minister of Romania, Marcel Miolacu.
He said that he will seek an extraordinary meeting and weigh legal steps in order to break the deadlock.
Miolacu mentioned Austria as the country that vetoed Romania’s accession to the passport-free travel zone.
Romanian PM underlined the country’s solidarity with the EU and NATO allies as a state bordering Ukraine.
It’s Romania that’s shouldered the bulk of the transit of Ukrainian exports. It’s a necessity for Europe to have Romania and Bulgaria in Schengen. – Ciolacu
Ciolacu said that he will ask the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European to hold an extraordinary meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council in December in order to re-visit Romania’s efforts. According to a report from Bloomberg, the meeting will fall after an election in the Dutch on November 22, when the political calculus could change.
The Romanian PM stressed that Bucharest may weigh splitting its Schengen efforts bid from Bulgaria’s effort in negotiations to point to a better outcome.
It’s very hard for me to accept that Austria benefits from the European Sky Shield initiative even though it’s a neutral country, while Romania allocates 2.5 per cent of its GDP for defence. – Ciolacu
Last month, the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, said that the Schengen Zone no longer functions.
His comments came as a response to Austria’s opposition to the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the passport-free travel zone.
The Romanian President considered Austria’s arguments regarding the membership of Romania not transparent.
Austria clearly says that it has nothing against Romania and Bulgaria, but it opposes the expansion of the Schengen area. – Klaus Iohannis
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer emphasised that his country maintains its veto when it comes to the accession of these two countries to the Schengen Area, stressing that the decision has nothing to do with these two countries.
According to the Chancellor, the Schengen Area needs to be reformed; as long as it doesn’t work, there is no point in expanding it.
Austria vetoed Romania’s accession to the Schengen Zone on December 8 last year, under irregular migration concerns.
Bucharest previously warned that it would take legal action if Austria continued to block the finalisation of this process.
Spain, which currently holds the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, stressed that the accession of the two Balkan countries to the Schengen Zone is among the main priorities of his country.
Spain’s Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, expressed his hopes that Romania and Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen Area would be finalised in December this year during the next JHA meeting scheduled for December 5 and December 6.
