Spain has put pressure on Austria to unlock the full accession of Romania to the Schengen Zone after some authorities in Austria continue to think that the Balkan country is still not ready to join in the borderless area.
According to a press release provided by the Spanish Government, Spain’s Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, held a meeting on Thursday in Austria’s capital with his counterpart from Austria, Gerhard Karner, during which they talked about the priorities of the future Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union that will begin in the second half of this year.
Among the priorities is also the joining of Romania to the Schengen Area, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
“Spain is a defender of cooperative measures instead of fragmentation ones,” Spain’s Interior Minister said, stressing that both Spain and Austria share their status as “destination and transit states for illegal migrants and asylum seekers.”
In December last year, Austria blocked Romania’s accession to the Schengen Zone as a result of “illegal migrant concerns”. Austria’s Interior Minister, along with Chancellor Karl Nehammer, were among the Austrian authorities who opposed the accession of this country to the Schengen Area.
But recently, Romanian media have confirmed that Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner will visit Bucharest on April 26.
Earlier this month, the Interior Minister of Spain, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, conveyed to his counterpart from Romania, Lucian Nicolae Bode, Spain’s support regarding Romania’s Schengen membership.
Spanish Minister’s comments came during his visit to the Romanian capital, where he held work meetings with his Romanian counterpart ahead of the Spanish presidency of the EU.
Still, recently Austrian Interior Minister stressed that Austria’s position regarding Romania’s accession to the borderless area remains unchanged, meaning that Austria will continue to oppose the further expansion of the Schengen Zone until Romanian authorities manage to control the migration situation better.
“Austria’s position has not changed at all. Freedom of movement in the European Union will only be possible in the case of robust protection of the external borders”, he said, according to Deutsche Welle.
Karner’s comments came as a response to the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, who said that Germany wants Romania in the Schengen Area this year.
Unlike Austria’s Chancellor and Interior Minister, last month, the President of Austria, Alexander Van der Bellen, considered that the Balkan country had met all the needed conditions to join the Schengen Area.
His comments came following a meeting held with the Head of Representation of the European Commission in Austria, Martin Selmayr.
Source : Schengenvisa