Vienna [Austria], December 12: Austria is dropping its veto on Romania and Bulgaria becoming full members of Europe's Schengen free-travel area, the Austrian Interior Ministry said on Monday, paving the way for European Union interior ministers to approve the move at a meeting on Thursday.
Romania and Bulgaria, both EU and NATO members, partly joined Schengen in March, after an agreement with Austria which initially opposed their joining on the grounds they needed to do more to prevent illegal immigration.
"We can take the next step at the EU (Justice and Home Affairs) Council," Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said in a statement.
Source: Emirates News Agency
