Austrian Chancellor ahead of European Council: 20,000 illegal migrants who arrived in Austria passed through Romania and Romanian police know about them / It’s a security problem for all Europe

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on Thursday ahead of the European Council meeting in Brussels that he had discussed the Schengen issue with President Klaus Iohannis. Nehammer claimed that 20,000 migrants who have arrived illegally in Austria have passed through Romania, and the Romanian police know this because they have registered them.

„Austria’s position is to support Bulgaria and Romania. It’s not about one country against another country. But you have to know that in Austria we have more than 75,000 migrants. And we know from Austrian police investigations that 20,000 illegal migrants have passed through Romania. And we have to find a solution,” said Chancellor Karl Nehammer.

Austrian officials have also used the number of 20,000 illegal migrants in technical talks with Romanian officials without being able to prove it, according to G4Media. The Austrian Interior Ministry claims to have analyzed 400 mobile phones belonging to migrants who had allegedly been connected to GSM networks in Romania, but the difference up to 20,000 was not proven.

Asked by reporters how he backs up these numbers, given that Romania says they are not true, Nehammer said, „The Romanian police know these people registered in Romania. It’s a security issue for the whole of Europe. We have to solve this together.”

President Iohannis announced on Wednesday that he would raise the Schengen issue at the European Council but warned that it was hard to believe he could get Austria to change its attitude.

The Schengen issue will be raised at the European Council by President Klaus Iohannis, even if it is not on the formal agenda, official sources told G4Media. The subject of Schengen accession has already been announced to be raised by Romania’s president with the cabinet of European Council President Charles Michel and member states, including at the EU General Affairs Council in Brussels on Tuesday.

EU leaders will meet in Brussels to discuss Russia’s war against Ukraine, energy and the economy, security and defence, the EU’s southern neighbourhood and external relations, the European Council’s official website says.