The Minister of Trade and Foreign Affairs of the Hungarian Government, Peter Szíjjártó, has said that Romania should have already been part of the borderless area of Schengen.
Szíjjártó has considered that becoming part of the Schengen Zone would bring more economic benefits for both territories.
His comments came during his visit to the Romanian city of Oradea, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
Illegal migrant concerns led Austrian authorities to block the accession of the Balkan country to the Schengen Area on December 8, last year.
However, Szíjjártó has considered that this is not a reason to delay the membership to the visa-free travel zone of Romania.
“I don’t think we can talk about illegal migration or the pressure of illegal migration when it comes to Romania, and I don’t think this is a reason for Romania not to enter the Schengen Zone. The economy of Romania, Hungary and the cross-border areas would benefit from following Romania’s entry into the Schengen Area,” he pointed out, according to Romanian National News Agency, Agerpres.
The Hungarian Minister of Trade and Foreign Affairs requested that the European Commission reopen Romania’s file for accession to Schengen Zone as soon as possible.
“We hope that the two states that have expressed their right to veto will change their position. And we hope that we can take advantage of the bilateral relations and this cooperation as much as possible. We will support Romania with all efforts to join the Schengen Area”, Minister Peter noted.
The Balkan country has been trying to become part of the Schengen Zone since it officially became a member of the European Union on January 1, 2007; still, the process has not yet been finished.
Furthermore, the Interior Minister of Austria, Gerhard Karner, last month stressed that the country’s position when it comes to this issue remains unchanged, meaning that Austria will continue to oppose the accession of Romania to the Schengen Area.
Karner’s comments came as a response to the German Chancellor who previously, Olaf Scholz, who previously stressed that Germany wants Romania in Schengen Zone this year.
In addition to Germany, authorities in Spain also called on Austria to support the further expansion of the borderless area by permitting Romania to become an official member of this zone.
Spain’s Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, during a meeting held at the end of last month with his counterpart from Austria, Gerhard Karner, said that Romania’s accession to the Schengen Zone is also among the priorities of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union that will start in the second half of this year.