Karl Nehammer explained what it takes to do this.
Austria announced on Tuesday that it still does not support Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen Area without monitoring its internal borders Karl Nehammer The Austrian Chancellor after his meeting in Vienna Nikolai Denkov With the Bulgarian Prime Minister.
Austria’s position is clear; The Schengen Area cannot be expanded at the moment
Nehammer confirmed in the press conference that followed the discussions. The Chancellor indicated that internal border controls that had been temporarily restored in the Schengen Area must first be withdrawn before Austria would agree to the accession of Bulgaria and Romania.
Nehammer stressed the need to better monitor the EU’s external borders, speed up asylum procedures, and conclude repatriation agreements.
Then the pressure will decrease, border controls will be abolished, and then we can also talk about the Schengen area
– said the Chancellor, who recently stated that the Schengen system has been destroyed, but at the same time stressed that Austria’s position is not directed against Bucharest or Sofia.
In addition, Nehammer praised Bulgaria’s efforts in protecting the EU’s external borders, noting that four Bulgarian police officers had died in the line of duty.
Dinkov stated that Bulgaria and Austria are in complete agreement regarding the issue of immigration. The only difference in opinion is whether Bulgaria and Romania’s membership in the Schengen Area will help in the fight against illegal immigration. He added that he exchanged relevant Bulgarian arguments with his Austrian counterpart. He pointed out that in the event of joining the Schengen Area, police forces could be redeployed on the Turkish border, and he also mentioned the costs of maintaining control over the common borders with EU member states. Dinkov also talked about the fact that in the absence of oversight, food delivery will also become easier, which may also help reduce inflation.
Last December, Austria vetoed Bulgaria and Romania’s accession to the Schengen Area, citing the fact that many illegal immigrants arrive in the Union via the Balkan migration route. The Bulgarian leadership announced on Monday that 40 percent more illegal immigrants were arrested this year than last year. Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov stated that almost no migrants reached the Bulgarian-Serbian border.
