Romania and Bulgaria will most likely be full members of the Schengen free movement area starting next January 1 after Austria lifts its veto.
Sándor Pinter, Minister of the Interior of Hungary, assured that in all probability the process will end on December 31 so that the land borders of those countries, still excluded from Schengen, They also join the air and seabut that the decision must be made at the Justice and Interior Council on December 12.
Bulgarian ministers also participated in this Friday’s meeting, Atanas Ilkov; from Romania, Cătălin Predoiu; and from Austria, Gerhard Karner, country that until now he maintained his veto to full incorporation into Schengen.
The Austrian minister has referred to this Friday’s agreement as “another step towards an agreement” in the Council on the 12th in which, he insisted, the final decision must be made. “We will cross that bridge when we reach that river”said the Austrian representative.
Karner also said that internal border controls between Bulgaria and Romania will remain in place for some time, while the Hungarian minister noted that the agreement includes sending a joint contingent of 100 border guards on the border between Bulgaria and Türkiye.
Predoiu stated that Austria has lifted its veto and that in today’s meeting in Budapest an important boundary has been crossed.
Ylva JohanssonCommunity Commissioner for the Interior, assured on social networks that the citizens of Romania and Bulgaria belong to Schengen and that they deserve to benefit from the freedoms that this space brings.
Currently, both Romania and Bulgaria have met the requirements for membership, the commissioner added, stressing that an agreement can be reached in December.
Add Comment