Following Austria’s veto against Romania and Bulgaria’s entry into Schengen, Romanians living in Austria want to protest this Sunday in front of the Federal Chancellery in Vienna. Corresponding reports from the Romanian media were confirmed by the president of the Romanian-Austrian cultural group Unirea, Ioan Godjaon Friday in a telephone call to the APA.
The demonstration is organized by Unirea and the Federation of Romanian Clubs in Europe (FADERE) and is scheduled to start at 1pm on Sunday. Organizers describe the demonstration in front of the Austrian government as a “signal of protest against the Federal Chancellor’s vote Karl Nehammer against Romania’s accession to the Schengen area”.
150,000 Romanians live in Austria
Godja said he expected about 100 participants, and the demonstration was registered. Romanians abroad wanted to peacefully express their protest. Austria is the only EU country that opposes Romania’s accession to Schengen. The veto was also supported by the Netherlands, which, however, had concerns mainly with Bulgaria. According to Godja, around 150,000 Romanians live in Austria.
Nehammer and Minister of the Interior Gerhard Karner (both ÖVP) justified the veto with the increase in illegal migration, also through the Balkan route. From the point of view of the European Commission and the European Parliament, Romania and Bulgaria fulfilled all the conditions for joining Schengen. Both countries also addressed the Austrian veto at the EU summit on Thursday in Brussels.
After the summit, Nehammer referred to a planned special EU summit on 9 February. An accession of Romania and Bulgaria to Schengen is not realistic until then, he said. The background is also that the Netherlands has asked the EU Commission to present a report on the rule of law in Bulgaria, which is not expected until June. Therefore, neither country will participate in the borderless Schengen area before the summer.