site.btaYoungest MEP Lena Schilling Urges Austrian Home Affairs Commissioner Candidate Magnus Brunner to Advance Schengen Dossier

Magnus Brunner, the Austrian candidate for European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, needs to move the Schengen dossier forward, Lena Schilling, an Austrian member of the European Parliament (Greens/European Free Alliance), told BTA's Martina Gancheva in an interview on Wednesday.

At age 23, Schilling is the youngest MEP. When asked about the obstacles Austria poses to Bulgaria's Schengen accession, Schilling said: "Of course, this is a big problem, and we will see what happens with Magnus Brunner, the Austrian candidate for the Commissioner on Schengen. He will have to make his point on this, and they will tell him - and we did - that he needs to move this dossier forward."

In an interview with BTA in June, Schilling voiced her strong support for Bulgaria and Romania's full membership in the Schengen Area. "Bulgaria and Romania belong in Schengen," Schilling said, emphasizing that the Greens do not support the Austrian Conservative Party's veto.

Schilling brought young climate activists from Uganda to the European Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg earlier on Wednesday. The group held a photo event in the corridors of the institution, drawing attention to climate issues during their visit to the city.

She told BTA: "As a former climate activist from Austria, I've always worked closely with the international climate movement, and it's very important to me to bring activists here to share their stories. We need to act on climate change now, and it's crucial to hear their voices. This isn't just about money; it's about the destiny of millions of people."