Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has pointed out the need for all the countries of the Danube region to join the European Union and for the Danube to become an internal river for the EU, BNT has reported. 

This year, Austria holds the presidency of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region and Schallenberg is hosting a meeting of the first diplomats from 14 countries of the Danube Region, including Bulgaria. European Commissioner for Budget and Administration, Johannes Hahn, also participates in the forum. According to Schallenberg, the Danube Strategy can play the role of a benchmark for readiness for EU membership and the future European Commission must take into account "the paramount importance of the Danube region for the European agenda".