Austria has confirmed that it opposes the integration of Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia in the area without Schengen borders, days after the European Commission have argued that all three countries meet the criteria for entry.
Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner told the Kurier newspaper that he considers “inopportuneopen Schengen to new partners at a time when “the external border system does not work”.
Austria is one of the European countries of destination and transit for immigrants entering Europe via the so-called Balkan route.
The Commission requests the approval of the Council for the accession of Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia to Schengen
Formal proposals for the entry of these countries into this space of free movement have been on the table of the 27 for some time. in the case of Romania and Bulgaria eleven years ago -, but the reservations of some countries delay the process, which is already in its last phase.
The eventual accession of Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia will be voted on at the meeting of Interior Ministers of the European Union (EU) scheduled for December 8.
The European Commissioner for the Interior, Ylva Johanson, said this week that “it’s time to receive them” and the European Parliament also approved this step.
Depending on the state of the ongoing processes, the ministers will examine the entry of Bulgaria and Romania in a single decision and, in another, that of Croatia.
The unanimous support of all EU members is needed, so for now the result is uncertainin the face of Austria’s doubts, which the Netherlands have also shown.
The free movement Schengen area is made up of the following countries: Austria, Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland.
Source: Observadora
