Hungarian FM asks Austria not to obstruct Romania’s accession to Schengen

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto presented Austria with a “firm request” not to block Romania’s accession to the Schengen Area, MTI reported on Friday. The Hungarian official says that it is in Hungary’s national interest that Romania joins Schengen as soon as possible, as it is the third most important export market and a popular investment place for Hungarian capital.

While in Timişoara on Friday, Peter Szijjarto told a joint press conference with the Romanian Minister of Transport Sorin Grindeanu that he “firmly asks his Austrian friends” not to “obstruct Romania’s accession” to Schengen in the fall of this year and that the decision should be made based on the facts.

“I would like to politely invite, not to say summon, our Austrian friends not to block again this autumn and to agree to the accession of our Romanian friends to the Schengen area,” he said.

The Hungarian FM argued that ten roads connecting the two countries are open only one day a week because Romania’s entry into the Schengen Area was blocked, according to a press release issued by the Hungarian Foreign Ministry

“Hungary’s national interest is for Romania to join Schengen as soon as possible. Romania is our third most important export market and a popular investment place for Hungarian capital”, said Peter Szijjarto, adding that a minority of Romanians live on the territory of Hungary and a minority of Hungarians on the territory of Romania.

Last December, Austria blocked the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen Area, arguing that it cannot support the expansion of the free movement zone as long as it is not functional.

No later than last week, Austria has reiterated its veto for Romania’s joining Schengen, through the voice of Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer and the one of Austrian Minister of the Interior, Gerhard Karner.