Ursula von der Leyen’s Conviction to Persuade Austria
After the last EU summit, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed her dedication to a particular topic. She has a strong belief that Romania and Bulgaria will soon become fully-fledged members of the Schengen area. She confidently stated, “You can count on us to convince Austria that they deserve to be fully in Schengen.” The EU Commission has, for a long time, clarified that both countries fulfill all the necessary conditions.
It is not only the political opponents such as the Social Democrats or Greens who are posing questions to Vienna and its unyielding position. Their own party leaders, specifically the Christian Democrats, are also querying. This became even more apparent when Von der Leyen and Metsola were joined by Manfred Weber, the leader of the European People’s Party in the EU Parliament.
Accusations of “Unfair Treatment”
Manfred Weber, a Bavarian CSU politician and a close ally of Austrian ÖVP representatives in Brussels, openly criticized Austria for its “unfair treatment”. According to Weber, Vienna no longer has any valid reason to continue the blockade. He also mentioned that the European People’s Party fully supports Romania and Bulgaria.
In the meantime, Vienna continues to maintain its hard stance. The Interior Ministry has confirmed that the blockade will remain in place. Towards the end of the previous year, the first relaxation was decided: the removal of border controls for passengers from Romania and Bulgaria. This decision, however, led to discontent among representatives of both countries in Brussels. From truck drivers to geriatric nurses commuting to Austria, they all continue to face queues.
A Call for Positivity and Progress
For Othmar Karas, the most experienced and well-connected ÖVP politician in Brussels, this typifies the stance of Austria in EU politics. He believes it’s high time for Europe to adopt a positive attitude. The first vice president of the EU -Parliament told KURIER, “It is high time that we in Europe are for something again and not always against something.” He added that the Schengen veto against Bulgaria and Romania is not solving the issue, but rather exacerbating it.
