Romanian politicians deplored Vienna’s “unjustified” choice to dam the nation’s entry to Schengen, with many voices calling for a boycott of Austrian items or firms.
The Romanian International Ministry stated Austria’s unfavorable vote within the Justice and Dwelling Affairs Council is completely inadmissible and, being the one opponent of Romania’s entry to the Schengen space, Austria is now remoted inside the EU. Romanian diplomacy considers Vienna’s place as completely unfair and missing goal motivation.
The ministry summoned the Austrian ambassador to Bucharest to convey the Romanian place and the protest of the International Ministry in opposition to Austria’s “unjustified and unfriendly” perspective, which might result in “inevitable” penalties on the bilateral relations.
The Inner Affairs Minister, Lucian Bode, went even additional, saying the rejection is a vote in opposition to all the EU and the European unity, which can make some non-EU actors comfortable. “In its lengthy historical past, many injustices have been completed in opposition to Romania. And plenty of instances, Russia contributed to the making of them. We really feel that Russia is about to take pleasure in another injustice completed in opposition to Romania,” Bode stated in Brussels.
Requested to clarify his assertion, Bode stated: “Don’t you assume that Russia is snug with the truth that Romania just isn’t absolutely built-in into the European Union house? It fits it completely.”
Even opposition events criticised Austria’s place and referred to as for resignations inside the authorities, particularly Bode.
Nevertheless, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca has not hinted at any modifications in his authorities whereas expressing his disappointment for Vienna’s vote, which was primarily based on “allegations primarily based on figures that Romania proved are incorrect.”
Ciuca stated Romania will proceed to work to guard the exterior borders of the EU and show its proper to be within the Schengen space, as becoming a member of the border control-free zone is a strategic nationwide goal.
In the meantime, on social media, there have been many requires a boycott of Austria, one of many main locations for Romanian vacationers within the winter season. Entrepreneurs talked of fixing monetary service suppliers, as two of the primary Romanian banks, BCR and Raiffeisen, are owned by Austrian establishments. Additionally, drivers stated they’d now not gas their autos at Austrian-controlled OMV Petrom, the most important oil and fuel firm in Romania.
(Bogdan Neagu | EURACTIV.ro)
