site.btaRomanian Media: Netherlands Officially Lifts Schengen Veto for Bulgaria, Good News for Romania

The media in Romania reported about the official lifting of the veto the Netherlands had imposed on Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen area. The news was covered by Romanian TV, news websites and newspapers, which quoted BTA and Bulgarian National Radio on the topic. 

The "Libertatea" newspaper writes that the news from The Hague is good news for Romania as well, as the two countries have applied as part of a package and a separation of their Schengen membership applications would be impossible in the near future. The daily newspaper recalls that now the only "obstacle" for the two countries is Austria's position.

Romanian media quote Bulgaria's Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov as saying that intensive talks between Bulgaria and Austria and between Austria and Romania are ongoing. The European institutions engaged in this process are also involved in the negotiations. The Bulgarian Minister expressed hope that Austria would make a decision in the coming days, but also warned that this might not happen before the New Year.

"What is important for us is to have a decision from Austria, it's less important is whether it will come before or after the New Year," Kalin Stoyanov was quoted as saying.

Romanian media recall that the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area was blocked last year by Austria and the Netherlands, with the latter's veto applying only to Bulgaria. However, Romania, which applied in a package with its southern neighbour, was indirectly affected, "Libertatea" points out. 

The Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's (RFE/RL) Romanian Servicepoints out in a headline that the Netherlands has finally accepted Bulgaria's entry into Schengen.

Now Austria remains the only obstacle to the enlargement of the Schengen area, while negotiations with Vienna continue, Romanian media note.

"Libertatea" recalls that on 9 December Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu announced "flexibility" in Austria's position and that Vienna had accepted the lifting of air borders for Romania. At the same time, Austria set conditions for the so-called "air Schengen", the newspaper recalls, and lists them: tripling of Frontex operations in Bulgaria; funds from the European Commission to reinforce the protection of the external borders of Bulgaria and Romania, improving infrastructure, enhancing control along the Romanian-Bulgarian border and the Hungarian-Romanian border; and the reception by Bulgaria and Romania of asylum seekers located in Austria, mostly Afghans and Syrians.

Bucharest accepted this proposal favourably, but Sofia was rather critical, summarises Libertatea. RFE/RL's Romanian Service points out that Romania has so far shown a willingness to accept partial accession to Schengen - in the first phase with the abolition of border controls at air and sea borders, but with a clear date set for the lifting of checks at land borders. 

Romanian Interior Minister Catalin Predoiu said on December 15 that Austria had formally accepted the extension of Schengen to the air borders, while the land borders are still being discussed and "nothing has been agreed", writes “Libertatea”.