Austria may be willing to relax its veto on expanding the European Union’s passport-control-free Schengen zone to Romania and Bulgaria, proposing access for air travel to and from the two countries.
Under the proposal, road travel would still be subject to strict border controls. Romania’s premier called the proposal a ‘breakthrough’ after deadlock
The Austrian government had been the main impediment to an expansion as Chancellor Karl Nehammer makes immigration the top issue on his policy agenda ahead of elections next year. His position has drawn criticism at home and abroad, particularly in Romania and Bulgaria.
Austrian media outlets have reported that Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner is willing to remove barriers to travel within the EU for Romanians and Bulgarians, while remaining opposed to the two countries joining the passport-free zone due to illegal migration concerns.
Under his offer, passengers from Romania and Bulgaria wouldn’t need to go through passport control when flying within the EU. A set of conditions would be attached for this to be allowed, including Bulgaria needing to agree to more Frontex operations and increased border controls in Romania and Bulgaria.
Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu wrote on Facebook that the ice had been broken, saying the development means that “Romanians will no longer stand in endless queues when they fly within the European Union.”
“After years of waiting, we will realize this dream together! Romania deserves to be in Schengen,” Ciolacu said.
In September, Ciolacu threatened Austria with a court case, saying that he would challenge Vienna’s veto at the European Court of Justice “in order to claim compensation for the losses caused by non-accession.”
