24.10.2023
If Bulgaria and Romania join the Schengen area, they will contribute to the suppression of the migrant pressure on Europe in a far more efficient way.
That was the main postulate that Prime Minister Acad. Nikolai Denkov upheld today in Vienna where he talked with Austria’s Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer, with Members of Parliament and with the Federation of Austrian Industries.
We will be more useful to the European Union (EU) if we are in rather than out of Schengen, Acad. Nikolai Denkov stated at all his meetings. If the borders between Bulgaria and Greece and between Bulgaria and Romania are abolished, my country will be able to relocate the men and materiel thus released so as to protect better the EU external borders – especially between Bulgaria and Türkiye and between Bulgaria and Serbia. In addition, cargo-carrying vehicles will not line up for days on the EU internal borders and this will reduce the transportation costs for the goods from Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania with destinations Central and Eastern Europe and also Western Europe. “This is tantamount to lower food prices and lower inflation. This stands for stronger political stability in all countries in Eastern and Central Europe. We all stand to gain from that. Otherwise, if we stay out of Schengen, we all lose,” the Prime Minister said firmly.
In his view, it takes time for these motives to be heard and understood so that the Austrian public opinion becomes aware of them. Acad. Nikolai Denkov believes that all attending the regular meeting of the European Council in the coming December will be prepared “to take the decisions that are to the best of the people of Austria, the people of Bulgaria and the European Union as a whole as this is our common goal.”
Bulgaria and Austria do not differ on the main actions that the EU should take to bring migration pressure under control. External borders must be reinforced; treaties with third countries from where the migrants come must be supported so as to send back the people who do not entitle to stay in Europe; and the system of legal migration must be improved. These issues are already among the EU priorities.
Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer appreciated the contribution of Bulgaria and Romania to the protection of the EU external borders: “The European Union knows very well that Bulgaria and Romania contribute a lot to the Schengen security.” He reiterated Austria’s objection to the Schengen enlargement at the moment and said firmly that it has nothing to do with Bulgaria and Romania. “This is a matter of security as we face tremendous challenges within the Schengen area. Ministers of Interior say that the Schengen system does not actually operate. Eleven EU member states exercise control along the internal borders,” Karl Nehammer said.
