Austrian Federal Minister Gerhard Karner visited Bucharest and remained firm on the declaration made on December 8, when Austria denied Romania Schengen entry due to its supposed borders and illegal migration problem.
Despite Romania’s very good progress, there is still a long way to go before the borders of the European Union are properly protected, stated Karner.
„I have great understanding for the grievance of the minister and for the expectations of the Romanian people regarding the next stage of accession to the Schengen Area, but at the moment you have to think that even Austrian citizens have the same dilemma when they are subject to checks with Germany. We have made very good progress, we are on the right path, but we have to tell you that there is still a long way to go”, said the Austrian minister.
The Austrian official pointed out that an action plan to combat illegal migration was signed on Wednesday, which already includes specific measures that the two countries want to undertake, such as sending some police officers from Romania to the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior or sending some Austrian workers (…) to the border with Hungary, at Nadlac, reports Agerpres.
„I went to the last point in the program at the Border Police, where together with the minister we were able to see what wonderful things the colleagues from the Border Police are doing in their area of responsibility.
Chairman of the People’s Movement Party (PMP), MEP Eugen Tomac, told a press conference in Craiova on Wednesday that he disapproves of the Romanian government’s „self-abasing” attitude in the relationship with Austria, as well as Austria’s „thwarting in a completely unacceptable manner our fundamental right, a right guaranteed by the EU Treaty regarding the free movement of Romanian citizens”.
„All these lies Austria unjustifiably resorts to when arguing its opposition to the enlargement of the Schengen Area have no reasoning, because they voted for the Schengen admission of a state that didn’t make it in 2021, like Croatia. On the other hand, Romania, which has been meeting the requirements since 2011, does not get the greenlight. This is why I consider we should have been spared the renewed display of this defiant approach in Bucharest and I condemn this visit. We don’t need lessons from arrogant politicians who despise Romania. It is a matter of dignity to be respected for what we are and the over 20 million Romanians are EU citizens. The Schengen Area is the largest borderless area in the world, where over 420 million European citizens daily enjoy free movement, because there is this agreement, with clear rules we respect”, Eugen Tomac expanded.
In light of Schengen rejection, Austrian Minister takes a trip to Bucharest
