Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Schengen visa: No EU border-free zone for Romania and Bulgaria

Schengen visa: No EU border-free zone for Romania and Bulgaria

European Union interior ministers have voted to accept Croatia into the 26-nation, border-free Schengen zone, but to reject Romania and Bulgaria.

The vote was greeted with relief in Zagreb, but anger and dismay in Bucharest and Sofia.

Germany's foreign minister said it was a bad day for Europe.

The European Commission had backed all three countries as meeting the criteria necessary for joining the zone, which includes 420 million people.

"I'm also disappointed," said EU home affairs commissioner Ylva Johansson.

Croatia joined the EU in 2013; Romania and Bulgaria became member states six years earlier.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic praised the decision, which means that Croatia will decommission its border crossings with EU neighbours Slovenia and Hungary on 1 January, the same day as it joins the euro.

Created in 1985, the Schengen area allows people and goods to travel freely, usually without showing travel or customs documents.

It includes 22 of the EU's 27 states as well as Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

Austria and the Netherlands voted against admitting Romania and Bulgaria, citing concerns that both were soft on illegal migration. The most vehement opposition came from Austria.

"It is not right for a system that is not working in many places to be expanded at this time," said Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner, explaining his country's veto.

As its main reason for keeping Romania and Bulgaria out of Schengen, the government in Vienna cited a rapid increase in the number of migrants entering Austria illegally through the West Balkan route.

However, political leaders in Romania and Bulgaria argue that relatively few cross their territory, and that their bid to join Schengen has been derailed for political reasons. They say the Austrian and Dutch governments are looking to attract the anti-immigrant vote.

EU Border Agency Frontex has reported 128,000 "irregular entries" into the EU so far this year from the West Balkans, a 77% increase on 2021, with 22,300 in October alone. These figures include multiple attempts by the same people.

The Austrian government says 75,000 irregular migrants are currently in the country. Some 40% are from India and Tunisia, after flying into non-EU country Serbia legally under a no-visa scheme; a further 40% are from countries led by Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Syria.

Romania said it did not understand Austria's "inflexible decision".

The head of the ruling Social Democrats, Marcel Ciolacu, went further: "European unity and stability received a tough blow today from a state that chose, in difficult times, to abandon its European comrades and serve instead the interests of Russia."

But Bulgaria's acting interior minister, Ivan Demerdzhiev, was more diplomatic: "Austria has made it clear it is ready for compromise and wants a complete reform of the Schengen area in those places where the mechanisms do not work," he said, holding out hope that Thursday's decision would be reversed next year.

There was criticism inside Austria as well, with migration researcher Judith Kohlenberger pointing out that the majority of people who had come to Austria for protection were already in the EU.

"To blame Romania and Bulgaria but not Hungary or even Croatia, which continue systematic push-backs, is both irrational and hypocritical," she said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×