BRUSSELS: Austria said on Thursday that it will veto the European Union’s two members Bulgaria and Romania joining the EU’s Schengen visa-free zone.
EU set to accept Croatia application: Austria
It was expected that the European Union ministers will accept Croatia joining Schengen visa-free zone. This decision will expand the European Union, plus Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Iceland.
Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said that he will vote against the Schengen enlargement to Bulgaria and Romania. He said that it is wrong that a system that does not work in many areas should be expanded. Austria fears that admitting Romania and Bulgaria would raise irregular immigration in the country. Karner added that his country had received more than 100,000 illegal border crossings in the current year.
Europe had taken a strong stance against migration following a huge inflow of asylum seekers in 2015-16, when thousands of people fled Syria. However, reforms demanded by EU countries receiving the inflows of asylum seekers. APP
