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.
Every year, on the third Thursday of November, France celebrates the arrival of the Beaujolais Nouveau — the first wine of the harvest, young, fresh, and full of life. This joyful tradition has become a global symbol of conviviality, elegance, and the French art de vivre. In Bucharest, the celebration continues this year with an […]
The Romanian Football Federation (FRF) announced Bucharest’s candidacy to host the Europa League final in 2028 or 2029 at the National Arena, according to the FRF official website. The Europa League final represents a high-profile sporting event on a European scale. Istanbul will host the Europa League final in 2026, followed by Frankfurt in 2027. […]
Three cats from Romania received the top distinctions during the 2025 World Cat Championship held in Bucharest. Wild Forest’s Nordri, an imposing white Norwegian Forest Cat born in Romania, conquered the supreme title of 2025 World Champion, defeating over 750 cats from 35 countries. Nordri’s son, Wild Forest’s Quasar, aged 7 months, was also named […]
A report by the Romanian Court of Accounts, conducted between April and November 2024, which analyzed the organization and functioning of communes and small towns in relation to the population served, shows that, depending on the number of inhabitants, many towns and communes no longer meet the criteria for inclusion in their respective categories. According […]
An association of construction companies from Romania and Bulgaria has won the contract for building the first section of the A8 Târgu Neamț – Iași – Ungheni highway, with a bid of 4.76 billion (EUR 936 million). The contract for the 27-kilometer road can be signed within ten days if no appeals are filed. “The […]
The organizer of the march commemorating 10 years since the Colectiv club fire tragedy, Marian Rădună, was fined RON 3,000 (EUR 600) by the gendarmes because the demonstration exceeded 11:00 PM, the time set in the authorization. Approximately 200 people participated on Thursday, October 30, in the march commemorating 10 years since the tragedy at […]
