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

Christmas town opens in Plovdiv’s central square

Plovdiv will offer concerts, bazaars and an ice park for the Christmas and New Year holidays to its citizens and guests, the municipality has announced. Mayor Kostadin Dimitrov will light the Christmas tree in front of the Plovdiv Municipality..

published on 11/27/25 8:05 AM

Bulgaria faces widespread rain and cooler temperatures

On Thursday, minimum temperatures will range from 3° to 19°C, with eastern areas reaching 15–19°C and Sofia around 6°C. The day will be cloudy with widespread rain. Heavy rainfall is expected in western regions overnight and in central and southern..

published on 11/26/25 7:05 PM

Georg Georgiev: Support for Ukraine and pressure on Russia must continue

“Solutions for achieving peace in Ukraine must be based on fundamental principles of the UN Charter, such as sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.” This was stated by Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev at the informal video..

published on 11/26/25 6:41 PM