The accession of Romania and Bulgaria to Schengen will only be discussed in the Council when it is sure that the outcome will be successful, President Klaus Iohannis said on Thursday, according to Euractiv.
Following the “unfortunate” vote of Austria last year, Romania and Bulgaria continued to discuss, negotiate, and seek solutions.
“We can’t push this subject to the vote once again, and again, and again, and keep getting negative answers”, Iohannis told Romanian journalists in Brussels ahead of the EU leaders’ summit.
Iohannis highlighted that Romania and Bulgaria’s inclusion in the Schengen area will be discussed in the Justice and Home Affairs Council only when we can obtain a “success, not a new failure”.
While acknowledging the “slow” progress, Iohannis expressed optimism, stating that “more and more Europeans” share the desire to find a positive solution to this matter.
He also discussed the willingness of the Spanish side to find a solution but refrained from advancing a deadline or whether the subject would be addressed during the Spanish Presidency of the Council.
European institutions are preparing to admit Bulgaria and Romania to Schengen this year, with visa-free travel by air expected in October, followed by the abolition of land border controls by 1 January, diplomatic sources in Brussels and the Bulgarian parliament and government told Euractiv.
According to sources in Sofia, Bulgaria has serious chances if it exerts diplomatic pressure and shows a desire to continue reforms.
In an interview with Euractiv earlier this month, social democrat Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said he would launch an extended plan in the coming months to get Austria to remove its veto on the country’s long-desired Schengen accession.