Austria and the Netherlands’ decision to block the accession of Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen Area goes against the purpose and ideals of the European Union.

The outcome of the vote that took place in Brussels on Thursday was anti-European and outright blackmail against Romania and Bulgaria, with Austria bringing natural gas and petroleum disputes into the matter of the aforementioned countries’ access into Schengen area.

As Schengen accession requires unanimous approval, the Netherlands and Austria‘s vote to veto has been able to block the process.

This exclusionary stance from Austria reflects the very way the EU is currently functioning, like a medieval oligarchic union that divides rather than unites.

In light of this vote, Romania should not make any compromises to its original desire of joining the Schengen Area, and should be treated like any other EU member in this regard.

DiEM25 has consistently shown that the EU is no longer functional in its current form. The European Commission appears to be subservient to oligarchic interests and, for some time now, has been sending out signals that displease its citizens and push them towards anti-EU sentiments.

At a time when the need for unity was necessary beyond Austrian domestic political pettiness or Dutch economic blackmail, EU states abandoned their own rhetoric of “post-Russian aggression unity” and reverted to what characterises them: economic extortion of poorer EU countries that are seen as colonies of the richer ones.

DiEM25 will continue to push back against the European Union and the oligarchy that controls its institutions and member state governments.

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