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Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer says that Austria has a problem with immigration and that the Ministry of the Interior wants a new schedule for Romania and Bulgaria to join Schengen in the spring, BTA reports.

The statement was made after a meeting in Vienna between Nehammer and the chairman of the European People's Party (EPP) Manfred Weber, according to the Romanian information site Hotnews.

Austria has officially cut us off for Schengen

Austria is the only country that still opposes Romania's accession to the Schengen area, Digi 24 notes.

EPP chairman Manfred Weber told Nehammer that there is no reason for Vienna to oppose Romania's accession to Schengen, reports Hotnews.

The Austrian chancellor has avoided saying how the Austrian representative in the Council for Justice and Home Affairs will vote tomorrow.

"The problem in Austria is that we have more than 75,000 migrants who are not registered anywhere. The borders of the EU do not work. These are the facts. This is not a political, party discussion, but a discussion on facts," said Nehammer, quoted by Digi 24. According to him, the Minister of the Interior wants a new schedule for Romania and Bulgaria for next spring.

The Austrian chancellor has also stated that Romania's and Bulgaria's applications for Schengen membership will not be divided and that the voting for them will be joint.

Asked whether Austria will vote against the admission of Romania and Bulgaria to Schengen tomorrow in the Council of Justice and Home Affairs, Nehamer avoided giving a clear answer.

The EU Council for Justice and Home Affairs will discuss and vote tomorrow on two proposals to expand the Schengen area.

The first proposal is for the admission of Bulgaria and Romania, and the second - for Croatia, according to the agenda of the meeting.

The decision is taken unanimously.

Schengen admission

Austria

Bulgaria and Romania