Schallenberg spoke after the first trilateral meeting with his counterparts from Slovenia and Croatia. He said there was an “aspect of dysfunctionality” in the Schengen area. There are currently around 12,000 asylum applications in Austria, compared to over 110,000 in the previous year, according to the Foreign Minister. “How can it be that Austria in the center of the continent has the highest number of asylum seekers per capita,” said Schallenberg. “How can it be that 75 percent of these asylum seekers were not registered anywhere,” he asked, referring to the fact that Austria is surrounded by Schengen members or countries associated with Schengen.
“What we want is a joint effort, a joint perception,” said Schallenberg towards the EU. “The real problem with the migration issue is that it is an issue of concern. Two or three states are always affected and the others are watching. It can’t go on like this.”
“Slovenia regrets Austria’s decision to extend border controls,” repeated Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon, reaffirming Slovenia’s position that there were no arguments in favor of another extension. “We will consider all possible means that are available to us,” she announced.
The Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar had previously urged an early solution in an APA interview. If we don’t come to an agreement soon, I fear that the first measure will be a notification to the EU Commission and corresponding further steps within the Brussels administration,” she said. After eight years of repeated extensions, Vienna had “no argument at all” for the Border controls.
With a view to the internal controls in Austria and other countries, Fajon warned that Schengen was “put to the test”. “We want to renew the system so that it works the way people know it.”
Fajon acknowledged that migration numbers are increasing on the Western Balkans route. Joint solutions at EU level are needed to deal with the irregular migration flows and to secure the external Schengen border. “I am convinced that nobody would want a situation in which Slovenia would also be forced to introduce internal controls,” said the Slovenian Foreign Minister. In addition to the renewal of the Schengen system, she also mentioned the help of Frontex in securing the Schengen external border as possible solutions.
