Marcel Bolosh, the Liberal Minister of Investment and European Projects, called Thursday’s JAI Council vote on Romania’s Schengen membership a “deeply unfair gesture for Romania”.

• “This is an extremely unfair gesture for Romania. The government made every effort to make this happen. During October and November, two missions by border security experts reaffirmed our readiness. (..)
• It is clear that in the middle it is not a decision that is made based on arguments that are about perhaps even professional reasoning, because the technical experts are the ones who confirm it from the point of view of technical expertise. (..) The decision was made under conditions that we cannot explain.” Minister Marcel Bolosh said on Thursday after the government meeting.

Romania, which has been waiting for 11 years to join Schengen, this time is not included in the European free movement zone, although it had the support of 26 EU countries. Austria managed to block a favorable decision in the Council of the CIS, since unanimity is required to join Schengen. It was joined by the Netherlands on the condition that they oppose the accession of Bulgaria, and the vote was cast “together with Romania”.