Romania’s interior minister, Catalin Predoiu, met Austrian counterpart, Gerhard Karner, at the Black Sea port of Constanta on Tuesday, May 26. The two visited Romania’s maritime border, witnessed an integrated exercise for combating illegal migration, and discussed further cooperation.
Back in 2024, Austria stood as the sole EU member state opposing Romania’s land-based integration into the borderless Schengen Area. Since then, relations have improved dramatically. According to Predoiu, Romania and Austria have shown they can overcome difficult moments through direct dialogue, cooperation, and concrete results. The official also expressed gratitude for Austria’s support for Romania’s strategic objective of joining the OECD.
“We currently have, at the level of our Interior ministries, a strong and dynamic partnership, and I firmly believe that this cooperation is not only valuable, but essential for responding to current risks and threats to European security. This visit reconfirms the excellent level of relations between our ministries and the solid nature of our cooperation in home affairs, in a spirit of trust, coordination, and shared responsibility for European security,” the Romanian minister said, according to the official press release.
He added that the talks included key topics of common interest, such as border security, combating illegal migration, police cooperation, and countering hybrid threats and disinformation.
“Romania continues to support the development of joint mechanisms with Austria, including in the field of data exchange, the work of liaison officers and joint initiatives aimed at combating migrant smuggling, cross-border organised crime and other threats to our security,” the minister said.
In turn, Gerhard Karner said that cooperation in recent years has produced remarkable results for the citizens’ safety. He also referred to Romania’s Schengen accession.
“My last visit to Bucharest, three years ago, in April 2023, and the discussion back then took place under much more difficult circumstances. Let me remind you that that moment was not a veto against Romania and Bulgaria, it was not my veto against you, but it was a call addressed by Austria to the European community. At that time, Austria had the highest number of migrants and asylum seekers in Europe,” the Austrian minister argued.
However, things have changed since then, Karner said. “The protection of Europe’s borders has improved significantly, the number of Frontex officers has doubled, and concrete measures are being implemented. The European Union and the European Commission have invested substantial funds in both Romania and Bulgaria, necessary measures,” Gerhard Karner said.
Between 2025 and 2026, the Romanian Interior Ministry carried out approximately 2,800 targeted Blitz-type operations aimed at preventing and combating illegal migration and cross-border crime. According to the institution, close cooperation between Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Austria has reduced illegal migration at the EU’s external borders by more than 80%.
(Photo source: mai.gov.ro)
Leave a Reply