President Klaus Iohannis declared, on Wednesday, in Brussels, that there will be no boycott by the Romanian state against Austria, referring to the statements of Marcel Ciolacu, who had announced that Romania would use its right of veto against Austria, which wants the presidency OSCE.
“This moment, in my opinion, can be treated in one key, with diplomacy. Everything else is excluded. In the last few days, I have heard countless opinions, advice, and I tell you very clearly that there will be no boycott of Austria by the state or public authorities. This is not how such problems are treated,” said Klaus Iohannis.
The head of state said that “there are many public advisers who create expectations” related to Romania’s accession to Schengen, in the context of the European Council these days in Brussels. “I will raise the matter in the plenary session of the Council, but practical solutions will be found in the next JHA Council, which will be better prepared. Please do not expect that today or tomorrow something will be decided regarding the accession“, said the President.
“It’s not good to have such expectations,” he said, stating that he thought it “strange” the “hunting of culprits” for the failure of the JAI Council: “The culprits are not to be found in Romania”.
The Romanian head of state pointed out that throughout the process our country had a lot of support. “The European Commission supported us in good faith, the Czech Presidency supported us so that things turned out well. Next we will have the Swedish presidency and we have already held talks with the Swedish prime minister.”
“We are talking about a syncope,” Iohannis added, who sent an appeal not to fall “into a collective depression, because it is pointless.”
“It is possible that there will be negative reactions among Romanian citizens, but my hope is that if we approach the process very seriously and finally come up with a solution, I am determined to come up with a solution, people will see that it was a syncopation, not a rejection full support of Romania. If we talk about rejection, let’s see how enthusiastic everyone else was who supported us. Countries that had no obligation to come and support us vocally did. This is in all the negative atmosphere a important point. We are not alone, we are wanted in the EU, where we are considered a serious partner, in Schengen, but we have to get over this syncopation. There is no point in falling into a collective depression that solves absolutely nothing,” said President Iohannis, being asked if the postponement of Romania’s accession to Schengen contributes to the growth of Euroscepticism.
German Chancellor: Romania and Bulgaria should enter Schengen “soon”
Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday that it is in the interest of Germany and Europe that the rest of the Balkan countries join the European Union. At the same time, Scholz said that Romania and Bulgaria should enter the Schengen Area “soon”.
Addressing the Parliament in Berlin ahead of the European Council in Brussels, Scholz welcomed the relaunch of EU accession talks with the six Western Balkan countries in recent months and this week’s decision to grant Bosnia candidate country status. “It is in our German and European interest that the rest of the Balkans become part of the European Union,” he told lawmakers in Berlin.
Scholz also praised the decision to allow Croatia to join the Schengen Area and said Bulgaria and Romania should “follow soon”.
Austria and the Netherlands have so far blocked the two countries’ accession. The rejection of Romania and Bulgaria will be a topic of discussion at the summit of European leaders on Thursday and Friday. President Klaus Iohannis has already announced that he will raise the issue in the European Council.