Romania’s Prime Minister, Marcel Miolacu, has called the failure of Romania to join the European Union’s Schengen Zone a „profound injustice.”
He plans to seek an extraordinary meeting and weigh legal steps to break the deadlock. Miolacu cited Austria as the country that vetoed Romania’s accession to the passport-free travel zone. Romania is a state bordering Ukraine and has borne the bulk of the transit of Ukrainian exports.
“It’s a necessity for Europe to have Romania and Bulgaria in Schengen,” he said. Miolacu will ask the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European to hold an extraordinary meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council in December to re-visit Romania’s efforts. He also emphasised that Romania may split its Schengen efforts bid from Bulgaria’s efforts in negotiations to point to a better outcome. Romania’s President, Klaus Iohannis, recently stated that the Schengen Zone no longer functions due to Austria’s opposition to Romania’s accession.
Austria Chancellor Karl Nehammer maintained that the Schengen Area needs to be reformed and that the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen Zone is among the main priorities of his country.
