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Expanding the Schengen area, Austria vetoes Romania and Bulgaria

Expanding the Schengen area, Austria vetoes Romania and Bulgaria

The Interior Ministers of the member states of the European Union have gathered in Brussels to decide whether they will accept Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia in the Schengen area.

Austria has blocked the admission of Romania and Bulgaria to Schengen, the passport-free zone that has removed border controls between the vast majority of EU member states.

The Netherlands supported Romania's offer but opposed Bulgaria's.

Croatia, however, received unanimous support and will join the Schengen Area from January 2023.

The Austrian Chancellor, Karl Nehammer, said earlier that Vienna opposed the entry of Romania and Bulgaria and that it wanted more time.