“We are currently in a package with Bulgaria for Schengen and this complicates the negotiations”commented Romanian President Klaus Iohannis within the framework of the European Union-Western Balkans summit, which is being held in Brussels.
“The Schengen file is a European file that went wrong. With us, last year at the beginning of winter, Austria refused to vote for Romania’s entry into Schengen. Since then, everyone has been negotiating at absolutely every level. Now there is some flexibility in the Austrian position, but I want to be very honest, there is still a long way to go and a lot of negotiations and a lot of discussion are needed. I don’t want anyone to think that we are one step away from a favorable result for Romania”said Klaus Iohannis, quoted by Digi24.
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According to him, the authorities in Bucharest have assurances of support from all EU member states except Austria.
“We have no signals from other countries that they would oppose Romania’s entry into Schengen. On the other hand, it is known that we are currently being treatedsuch is the procedure, together with Bulgaria and this complicates the negotiationsbecause they will be conducted trilaterally and quadrilaterally, in very few situations they will be conducted bilaterally, as they say directly, and this is another difficult moment”emphasized the head of state of Romania.
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Asked if he ruled out the possibility of an extraordinary Council for Justice and Home Affairs by the end of this year, Klaus Iohannis replied: “No, I’m not ruling out something like that.” According to him, if an acceptable compromise is reached, then there is certainly a possibility of convening an emergency council and closing the matter.
The topic was also commented on by the Minister of Internal Affairs of Romania, Katalin Predoyu.
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“Bulgaria and Romania have met all the criteria for full Schengen membership, and the results of the latest mission to Bulgaria, carried out by experts from member countries, including Austria and the Netherlands, prove this again”Predoyu also said, quoted by Digi24.
He clarified that the current negotiations are not only about the so-called “Air Schengen”.
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“We are discussing all the borders. Discussions are constructive, even if difficult. We all want a decision on this case in December. We discuss everything in a package, not in the near term, but we discuss everything. I cannot predict any outcome at this stage because these discussions are ongoing.”Predoyu said.
He explained that Vienna does not impose new conditions for Schengen.
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“These are not conditions, but a series of accompanying measures, related to procedures already in force and applied by Romania and other Member States. It is not a question of transferring migrants from Austria to Romania, but of returning back those people who entered Romania beforehand, were registered in the Schengen systems in Romania and who subsequently migrated illegally to Austria. This is an active procedure under the Dublin Agreement”noted the interior minister.
According to him, the other two accompanying measures are aimed at strengthening border control with the support of Frontex officials, including Austrian officials, and with the increase of European funds allocated for border security.
Source: BTA CORRESPONDENT MARTINA GANCHEVA
2023-12-13 18:11:21
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