Ciolacu: Romania’s accession to Schengen is irreversible. We have a political agreement with Austria

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Date of update: 28/12/2023 22:01 Date of publication: 28/12/2023 21:54

PHOTO: Inquam Photos/ Sabin Cîrstoveanu

Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu declared, on Thursday evening, that the process of Romania’s accession to the Schengen area by air and sea is “irreversible” and that there is a “political agreement” with Austria for this to happen in March 2024, despite the absence of a timetable for accession with land borders. Ciolacu declared, on Romania TV, that the accession to the maritime Schengen area is “of interest” for the “development of the port of Constanța” and that Romania will have “a changed strategy” from this year, in order to be able to fully adhere to the free movement area.

“First of all, at this moment, after the 23rd of this year and this month, Romania also has a political agreement with Austria, regarding the accession to the maritime Schengen area, where we are very interested in the development of the Constanța port, and air .

We must prepare next year for Romania’s full entry into the Schengen area. For 13 years, Romania has met all the technical requirements to join the Schengen area. In 13 years, it is the first time that we have a political agreement on partial membership. In other words, from this point on, the whole process is irreversible.

I don’t think there is any more JAI council, I think there will be a vote of the representatives of each state – COREPER is called – and this procedure will be done, bearing in mind that we have 2 days left until the New Year.

At the moment, the documents are with the lawyers, the Commission and the Austrian government for the final form, which will be forwarded to all representatives of the EU states. The strategy for next year, definitely we will have a changed strategy.

It is the first time we coordinated… – I coordinated with the President of Romania, no problem to say it, I coordinated with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, with the Minister of the Interior, we met in the evening, we had teleconferences , video conferences (…)

We entered an irreversible process, the moment you entered sea and air, we went in the right direction. Next year we will continue all efforts to complete, from my point of view, more than likely under the Hungarian presidency of the (EU Council – n. ed.).

(…) In March 2024 we will be in Schengen by air and sea. (…)

The moment I started to have an exchange of letters with Chancellor Nehammer it was clear that I had entered a different logic. We were stuck – we tried with force, we tried in every way – we were totally stuck – at this moment there is a perspective and a release (sic!).

It is an achievement of the Romanian government. There are tremendous commercial advantages. For carriers, it would have been great to enter land this year. You can not. We all know this, it was a new approach that paid off at this moment”, said Ciolacu on Romania TV.

Austria still does not give gratifying signals

The Austrian Ministry of the Interior emphasized, however, on Thursday that there are currently no negotiations on Schengen accession with land borders and, therefore, there is no deadline, writes The standard.

As for entering Schengen with air borders, Austria puts conditions – an increase in the Frontex mission in Bulgaria and money from the European Commission for a solid protection of the external borders. The Ministry of the Interior in Vienna told the Austrian news agency APA that it also requests the intensification of land border controls and wants Romania and Bulgaria to take asylum seekers, especially those from Afghanistan and Syria.

The Austrian press also recorded the statements of the Bulgarian Prime Minister, Nikolai Denkov. He declared, on Thursday, that Austria committed to continue the negotiations regarding the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen area and with the land borders.

After complicated negotiations, the two countries reached an agreement in principle with Austria on Schengen accession by air and sea, Denkov said, according to the Bulgarian news agency BTA.

Editor: Adrian Dumitru