Austria has rejected European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s call to lift its veto against Bulgaria and Romania joining the Schengen area, arguing that extending the visa-free zone currently makes no sense, www. Euractiv.com reports. In her State of the Union address on Wednesday, von der Leyen called out Austria for blocking the Schengen accession of Bulgaria and Romania, urging the country to “finally let them in – without further delay”. Austria, however, was quick to dismiss the request. “Currently, the migration figures are rising across Europe, and in many countries, additional border controls are being discussed, for example, in Germany with Poland,” Austria’s Interior Minister, Gerhard Karner, said in a statement. “At this point in time, it makes no sense for me to talk about an extension of the Schengen area. We need more controls, not less,” he added. Austria has been blocking accession for both countries, fearing an influx of irregular migrants. According to the Austrian government, the two countries could not effectively control their borders, which would become the EU’s external borders after their Schengen accession. Von der Leyen, on the other hand, stressed that the two eastern European states have already become a model “showcasing best practices on both asylum and returns.” “They have proved it: Bulgaria and Romania are part of our Schengen area,” von der Leyen added during her State of the Union speech. Back home, the government’s continued insistence on the blockade has also been criticised by the liberal NEOS party, now in opposition. “This is a direct call to the Austrian federal government to finally lift its unspeakable and anti-European veto,” NEOS MEP Claudia Gamon told APA after von der Leyen’s speech.
Associates of the fugitive Moldovan oligarch Ilan Șor were urged to vote for far-right candidate George Simion in the presidential elections in Romania back in May, according to the General Inspectorate of Police of the Republic of Moldova. Moldovan police made public several messages discovered on the phones of those close to Ilan Șor as […]
The month of July was nearly 2 degrees Celsius warmer than normal in Romania, with temperatures exceeding 43 degrees Celsius in the southern Oltenia region and over 40 degrees Celsius in Transylvania. Eleven new heat records were set, and there were also intense rains as well as severe hailstorms, according to the climatological summary published by […]
Romania ranks last in the European Union in terms of circular material usage, with a rate of just 1.3%, according to 2023 public data analyzed by Clean Recycle experts. Comparatively, countries such as the Netherlands (30.6%), Italy (over 20%), and Malta lead the EU rankings. A circular economy is a model of production and consumption […]
A new edition of Art Safari will take place from September 5 to December 14 in Bucharest, featuring a diverse program of art exhibitions. Highlights include "Paris Pallady," showcasing over 70 works by Romanian artist Theodor Pallady alongside pieces by Henri Matisse, in collaboration with Paris museums Musée de l'Orangerie and Musée Henri Matisse, the […]
According to a recent announcement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Romania endorsed the Joint Declaration on the Security and Resilience of Submarine Cables in a Global Digitalized World, in coordination with the United States and European Union partners. The diplomatic effort takes place as allies are concerned with sabotage incidents, cyberattacks, and other forms […]
The media and entertainment industry in Romania is projected to experience steady growth over the next five years, driven primarily by the expansion of digital segments. According to the latest PwC Global Telecommunications, Entertainment & Media Outlook 2025-2029 report, the sector is expected to grow at an average rate of around 2% annually, reaching a […]
