Romania’s Schengen Accession in Hungary’s National Interest, Says Foreign Minister.

Budapest: Romania’s accession to the Schengen area as soon as possible is in Hungary’s national interest, according to Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Speaking to parliament’s national cohesion committee, Minister Szijjártó expressed optimism that Romania could join the Schengen zone before the conclusion of Hungary’s EU presidency.

According to About Hungary, Minister Szijjártó highlighted the challenges posed by Romania not being part of the Schengen regime, noting that Romania has completed all the necessary preparations for accession. He pointed out that Brussels experts have assessed these preparations positively, and there is near-unanimous support among EU members for Romania’s entry.

Minister Szijjártó also addressed Austria’s refusal to support Romania’s Schengen entry, describing it as an instance of double standards. He argued that when Hungary declines to support an initiative, it is often considered a breach of European unity, whereas similar actions by Western
European countries are viewed as legitimate exercises of EU treaty rights.

The Hungarian government remains in constant dialogue with Austria, despite the political instability following recent elections there. The elections resulted in a situation where the winning party has not been given the opportunity to form a government, further complicating the political landscape.

In closing, the minister reaffirmed Hungary’s support for Romania and Bulgaria to join the Schengen area, emphasizing that Romania’s accession aligns with the interests of the country’s ethnic Hungarian community.