Minister of Foreign Affairs Affairs of Spain held working meetings in Bucharest and Sofia with his counterparts ahead of the Spanish Presidency of the EU in the second half of this year. He expressed confidence that “the official meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Interior, scheduled for September, will be the starting point for the final achievement of results.”
The Minister emphasized the need to abolish internal border controls, adding that such a decision should have been adopted a long time ago.
Grande-Marlaschi's visits to Bucharest and Sofia are part of a round of meetings between the Minister and his European counterparts in preparation for the Spanish Presidency of the EU.
Formerly Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen emphasized that both Balkan countries are ready to become part of the Schengen area, thereby going against the opinion of Chancellor Karl Nehammer, who stressed that he continues to remain against the expansion of the Schengen.
Bellen stressed that both countries have already implemented all the necessary requirements in order to become a member of the Schengen area. At the same time, in December last year, the same Austria blocked the entry of Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen zone.