Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Political scientist Prof. Reinhard Heinisch:

Austria will lift the Schengen veto after next year's elections

Photo: EPA/BGNES archive

Austria will give up the Schengen veto after next year's parliamentary elections, Austrian political scientist Prof. Reinhard Heinisch predicted in an interview for the BNR. Together with the Netherlands, Austria opposes the expansion of the Schengen area. 

What could force the government to reconsider its position towards Bulgaria and Romania are the interests of Austrian businesses, the political scientist believes. "During the parliamentary discussion, it became clear that Austrian companies suffer losses from the fact that both countries are outside Schengen," he said.

According to Bulgarian MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk, it is "absolutely imperative" to become part of Schengen by the end of the year, since 2024 is an election year for the EU, and important decisions are difficult to make in such a period.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Morning temperatures remain low, but the day will be spring-like warm

On Friday , the lowest temperatures will be between minus 5 and 0°C. In Sofia it will be around minus 3°C. In the morning hours along the riverbanks and around water basins there will be reduced visibility. It will be sunny during..

published on 3/20/25 7:05 PM
Prime Minister Zhelyazkov (left) at a meeting with ECB and Eurogroup Presidents Christine Lagarde (middle) and Paschal Donahue, Brussels, March 20, 2025

PM discusses Bulgaria's eurozone entry with ECB and Eurogroup presidents

The importance of eurozone membership for Bulgaria was the focus of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov's meeting with European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde and Eurogroup President Pascal Donahue. On the sidelines of the European Council meeting..

published on 3/20/25 6:07 PM

BNB Governor: Bulgaria meets all nominal criteria for the eurozone

"Currently, Bulgaria is one of the few in the EU that unconditionally meets all nominal criteria for convergence to the eurozone, including the price stability criterion, with which we have had problems in recent years." This was..

published on 3/20/25 3:35 PM