MEP Dragos Tudorake of the Renew group, a former interior minister, said on Tuesday in Strasbourg that we should ask ourselves whether the price paid for demanding the December 30 decision to join Romania and Bulgaria in the Schengen area with air borders was the right one, according to from Agerpres.

“It depends on which school of thought you belong to. Those who say that when they were there they understood exactly what the Austrians wanted, and I say, sir, we know for sure that sometime this year we will find the political moment to get Austria back for the land as well, and after the election to the well everything will be fine. I have a somewhat reserved attitude towards those who adhere to this school,” Tudorache said during a briefing for Romanian journalists in Strasbourg.

The MEP says that he has seen enough of these political moments in the European bubble in his 16-17 years of experience that he knows that “when you leave something for later, by then a million other things and conditions can intervene for political parties. from all sides.”

“Now Romania has legitimized Austria’s position”

He emphasized that a new decision will be necessary for the accession of Romania and Bulgaria with land borders to the Schengen area from all states and that this applies not only to Austria.

“I told our negotiators: at least make sure that there is wording in the text that at least reassures everyone else, that there is a commitment from the rest of the Council members that there will be no more discussion of the land border (…),” Tudorash said.

“We could have adopted a staggered calendar for the window limits, but only one political decision was needed. Or we actually don’t have any political solution. We have a political decision regarding the air borders and, as it is clearly stated, another political decision, which, even worse, is now directly conditioned by the will of Austria, which is another big mistake,” said the MEP.

• On the same topic: Austria continues to oppose Romania’s accession to Schengen with land borders. Karner: Now that would be a mistake. It is not for Austria to make a calendar

“No possible trial of Romania in the EU Court”

If until now Romania could accuse Austria of political abuses, now with the adopted decision it legitimized Austria’s position and even gave it a legal appearance, Tudorake believes.

This will prevent a possible case of Romania in the EU Court in the future, as the court will consider that Romania has accepted the situation. Austria will also have the legitimacy to oppose a future decision to join Schengen with land borders.

“Now, with this decision, we have also created an aura of legal legitimacy for Austria, which can say: I am not convinced, look, there are certain criteria, they are in the annex, they are part of the decision. , I am not convinced of this, I will not remove my veto, and we will remain, as it was with MCV, ad aeternam at someone’s will,” said the MEP from the Renew group, according to Agerpres.

On the same topic:

• Why Romania’s partial accession to Schengen would be a trap and could undermine negotiations – MEP / What forced Vienna to radically change its rhetoric
• Predaiu avoids specifying a time frame for Romania’s full accession to Schengen and insists on the importance of partial accession: We have the status of a member state / We must change all the seals at the border
• Beyond optimistic statements: how much is Romania losing by standing in line at the Schengen land border / A realistic date for full integration into the free movement zone