Austrian Chancellor: Schengen is a failure

During a press conference after meeting with the Dutch prime minister Thursday evening in Vienna, Nehammer told reporters that he, as well as Mark Rutte, were both staunch supporters of the EU, but the rules and union institutions should be taken seriously.

“This means that the Commission (European), the treaty monitor, should signal their implementation”, Nehammer said. “Actually we have a systematic failure. Schengen doesn't work, and the EU asylum procedure we have in force doesn't work. These are big problems. Both of us are fierce Europeans. For us, the European Union is Europe's future, but that means institutions have to do their job”.

He called for financial support to be given to Bulgaria and Romania, after arguing with their accession to the Schengen zone. He recalled a visit to the border between Bulgaria and Turkey, where, according to him, the situation was difficult.

We need to reinforce the fence we have there. Now, the Commission always gives a set of subx1> ” categories in response to this, saying there will be no money for more fences. But I don't think this should be the last word”.

The Schengen zone is the largest area in the world where people move free without passports, among 26 European states.