Romania’s accession to Schengen area is priority of EU presidency, says foreign minister

Romania’s accession to the Schengen area is in Hungary’s national interest and will be realised during the Hungarian EU presidency, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stressed in Bucharest after talks with Cătălin Predoium, Romania’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior.

This is important because when road controls between Romania and Hungary are finally lifted, on the one hand the very long queues at the border crossings will disappear and on the other hand ten road connections, which are now only available on Saturdays, will be immediately available to traffic, writes Village view. The Hungarian politician stressed that the current 12 border crossings would immediately become 22 and that communication between the Hungarian communities on both sides of the border would become much simpler and easier.

He added that

Romania is one of Hungary’s most important export markets,

therefore, Hungarian companies doing business with Romanian partners can do business in Romania much easier and be even more successful, so “we can only benefit” from our neighbor’s accession to Schengen. “That is why we are doing everything we can to ensure that Romania can enter the Schengen area during the Hungarian EU Presidency,” the minister stressed.

Mr Szijjártó hopes that the Western European countries will not be hypocrites either and that everyone who has spoken of supporting this will do so.

The two ministers also signed an important agreement on cross-border law enforcement cooperation to combat illegal migrants, human traffickers and criminal gangs.

Although the connection has been established at the air and sea border crossings, it is also needed at the land borders as soon as possible. Hungary is in favor of this.

EU member states voted in Brussels in 2022 on the accession of Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area. Croatia was admitted, but Romania and Bulgaria did not join, even though both countries deserved to do so, as they have worked hard to protect their borders and have done much to curb illegal migration. Austria and the Netherlands did not support Romania’s accession. The decision has provoked strong reactions in Romania. Officials in Bucharest have expressed disappointment at Vienna’s opposition, which they say is completely unfounded.

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Via Világgazdaság; Featured image via Pixabay