Romania and Bulgaria have been waiting to join Schengen for 11 years, when the European Commission first announced that they were ready for membership, and this view is already shared by the European Parliament. However, the Dutch representatives asked the government of Mark Rutte Blow up the Schengen accession of the mentioned countriesThey want to analyze the process of the rule of law and the suppression of corruption and organized crime in both countries.
And Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer struck a joint memorandum with them, expressing support for Croatia’s accession to the Schengen Area, but not extending to Bulgaria and Romania.
The fact of using the veto aroused enormous indignation in Romania, where, on Thursday evening, Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu summoned the Austrian ambassador in Bucharest, and the ministry protested against Austria’s “unjustified and unfriendly behavior.” Vincenzi Laurent, a member of the European Parliament, said no argument had emerged to justify the Austrians’ protest.
They are calling for a boycott of Austrian products
On Friday evening, about a hundred people gathered in front of the Austrian embassy in Bucharest, and were received by the gendarmerie. “Thieves, thieves, thieves!” Many people cheered You masturbate According to There was also a demonstration in Timisoara, according to Mayor Dominik Fritz, people reacted this way because they did not receive an explanation as to why Austria did not allow Romania to enter the Schengen area.
That evening, Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Cioc, head of the National Liberal Party (PNL), announced that the government would continue the measures taken for Romania’s accession to Schengen and would consider continuing this course separately from Bulgaria.
Meanwhile, well-known Transylvanian businessmen called for a boycott of Austrian interests. An agricultural businessman from Arad province wrote that he will cancel his accounts with Austrian-owned banks and will never buy fuel from Austrian distributors again, Economica.net writes.
Dmitry Muscă, owner of Kürtös Agricultural Combine, one of the largest agricultural companies in Romania, encourages Romanian citizens not to buy Austrian products and not to spend money on trips to Austria.
Angry Romanians say the Austrians are like the Nazis
Videos of Erste Bank customers cutting their bank cards with scissors started circulating on social media, while unknown persons punched the signs “Náci Bank” and “Nácik = Austria” at the entrance to the Raiffeisen Bank branch in Cluj.
O Bank Raiffeisen a fost vandalizata de persoane necnognoste! “The Nazi Bank”, left as a message in the evening la sucursala din Cluj-Napoca. Gestul apare in the context of the Romanian patronage is a ratat within the Schengen Area, rejected by Austria și Olandei. https://t.co/7xgqXoPYkC
– 100News.Ro (@100newsR) December 9, 2022
In one store, they announced that they no longer sell energy drinks made by Red Bull.
“This is where RedBull and Pfanner used to be. Austria doesn’t want us # Shingen, so we decided we didn’t want their products in our store. (…)” #Romania **** pic.twitter.com/Gz0UTWqPzc
— Niels (@NielsHonkoop) December 8, 2022
Members of the Association for the Unification of Romanians held a demonstration at the OMV fountain, where they demanded that Austrian companies leave the country with immediate effect, since Vienna blocks Romania’s accession to Schengen.
In Romania, the Alliance for the Unite of Romanians party demands that Austrian companies leave the country – due to the fact that Vienna blocks Romania’s accession to Schengen. pic.twitter.com/YVfP9G0nwf
– – /// Spriter /// – (@Spriter0000) December 12, 2022
It was too much for Romanian politicians, Marcel Ciolacu, head of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), tried to calm the mood. The Chronicle According to his report, Marcel Ciolacu drew attention to the fact that a distinction must be made between Romanian and Austrian citizens and between Romanian and Austrian decision makers. “Austrian companies operating in Romania have Romanian employees,” he added.
Peter Szijjarto After the veto, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade also spoke out, according to him, Romania and Bulgaria deserve to join the Schengen area, because they vigorously protect their borders and have done a lot to reduce illegal immigration. “At this time, where are the professional grumblers, those who are interested in the unity of the European Union, members of the European Parliament who want to abolish unanimous decision-making, where are the miserable journalists of the liberal mainstream, where are the Brussels bureaucrats, ministers of liberal governments? Manfred Weber agreed.
“Romania belongs to the Schengen Area!” – This was stated by the head of the European People’s Party. As he wrote, he himself is deeply disappointed by the decision that was made at last week’s meeting of the EU Home and Justice Council.
“It is not fair, it is not right, and I strongly oppose the decision. Romania deserves to be part of the Schengen Area. In order to achieve this, I will continue to actively cooperate with our Austrian partners in order to get closer to this goal.”
Bucharest’s revenge has arrived
The main field On Monday, she wrote, Romania quickly found a way to resist Austria’s veto. Bucharest decided that it would not support the OSCE General Secretariat, which was under Austrian leadership.
“If you veto illegally, don’t be surprised if others do the same,” noted PSD chief Marcel Ciolaco. All this meant that German Helga Maria Schmid’s position as Secretary General would not be taken by an Austrian diplomat, although Austria actively lobbied for this.
The OSCE has 57 member states, and in addition to the EU countries, the USA, Canada, Ukraine and Russia are also members, so it can play an important role in creating and maintaining peace in Ukraine.
(Cover photo: Romanian protesters in front of the Austrian Embassy in Bucharest on December 9, 2022, after Austria refused Romania’s accession to the EU’s Schengen Area. Photo: MTI/EPA/Robert Ghement)
