Karner explains why Austria blocked Romania's accession to Schengen from 2022: “It was one of the most difficult decisions in my career”
The Minister of the Interior of Austria, Gerhard Karner, said on Tuesday, during a visit to the Port of Constanța, that the decision by which Austria blocked Romania's accession to the Schengen area in 2022 was not directed against Romania, but represented, in his opinion, a signal sent to the European Union in the context of the migration crisis.
Austria's Minister of the Interior, Gerhard Karner. PHOTO: Profimedia
“It was not a decision against Romania, it was a decision for Austria, for the safety of the Austrian population”, said Karner, in a joint press conference with the Minister of Internal Affairs, Cătălin Predoiu.
The Austrian official claimed that Austria was facing significant migration pressures at the time.
“It was one of the most difficult decisions in my career. It was not a veto against Romania and Bulgaria, it was not a veto of mine against you, but a cry of mine addressed to the European community”, Karner said.
He also provided data on the migration situation of that period.
“In 2022 Austria was registering around 112,000 asylum seekers, and in a single week around 3,500 illegal border crossings had been reported”the minister specified.
Karner claimed that the situation had improved significantly in the meantime.
“About 20 cases were recorded last week, the lowest level in over 20 years”he said, adding that the positive evolution is also the result of cooperation with Romania.
The Austrian official also praised the activity of the Romanian authorities in managing the external borders of the European Union.
“Romania has become an important and valuable part of the Schengen system. Our cooperation has contributed to remarkable successes for the safety of our citizens”, Karner relayed.
For his part, the Romanian Minister of the Interior, Cătălin Predoiu, emphasized the importance of bilateral collaboration in the field of security and combating illegal migration, including through the exchange of information and joint actions.
In December 2022, Austria blocked the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to Schengen, citing migration pressures. Later, after negotiations and additional measures, Romania fully joined the free movement area at the beginning of 2025.
