“The Vienna International Airport recognizes that the European rights of Romanians are violated by the illegal additional security controls to which they are subjected. This happens after MEPs Nicu Ștefănuță and Vasile Blaga asked for explanations regarding the double standard applied to Romanian citizens.
On March 28, MEP Nicu Ștefănuță together with MEP Vasile Blaga sent a letter to the director of the Vienna Airport, asking for explanations regarding the double standard applied to Romanian citizens, who are unfairly subjected to additional security checks. Airport management responded by citing terminal infrastructure issues. “Do you remember when I said that the Austrians humiliate us and make us stand in lines for nothing, just because we are not in Schengen? I was right! What’s more, I received an apology from the Vienna Airport which admits that it is wrong and that it does not exactly comply with the European legislation that mentions a single security check. Airport managers cite infrastructure problems: that it is difficult with the terminals, that non-Schengen passengers are also mixed with those from outside the EU, etc. I’m sorry, but I’m not satisfied with the answer. It is a violation of the human dignity of Romanians! It’s their problem, not ours. We are European citizens, and EU law tells us that a security check is sufficient in transit (one stop security ready). Therefore, we notified the European Commission and asked them to investigate this situation and to take measures quickly”, declares Nicu Ștefănuță.
How Vienna International Airport responds ” We are aware of the facts you described and we regret that Romanian passengers have to go through security checks again in some cases when they change planes. Practically, passengers from Romanian airports have the appropriate security status to be able to go to other Schengen destinations without additional security control in Vienna, as Romanian airports are already “One-Stop Security Ready” (OSS). As the specified connections are non-Schengen flights, despite the security status, a passport check must be carried out upon arrival. If the aircraft is positioned at Pier North (Terminal 3) after arriving at Vienna International Airport, for structural reasons, passengers arriving from OSS countries often mix with those from non-OSS countries.
In these cases, another security check is required after passport control. In addition to the traffic volume, the positioning also depends on the requirements of our customers, the airlines and the next planned flight (Schengen or International). We regret that passengers from Romania who wish to continue their journey to other Schengen countries cannot always take advantage of the security status. The special case that non-Schengen passengers already have a security status equivalent to that of Schengen passengers was unfortunately not foreseeable when planning the terminal building and therefore could not be taken into account at the time.
The foundation stone for Terminal 3 was laid in January 2006, that is, before Romania’s accession to the EU. Of course, we always strive to improve the terminal infrastructure. Through the “South Extension” project, Vienna Airport will build an additional terminal building which, among other things, creates a connection between terminals 2 and 3, which will allow passengers to pass from gate F to gate C, for example, without being need to leave the security area. This project was supposed to be completed as planned this year, but had to be postponed due to the COVID19 pandemic. Opening is now scheduled for 2027. This adjustment could, at least in some cases, solve the problem. The best scenario remains, however, the rapid accession of Romania to Schengen “.
In the interpellation sent to the European Commission on Tuesday, Nicu Ștefănuță demands an investigation of the situation in Vienna International Airport , but also in other European airports where Romanians’ rights are not respected, as well as holding the Austrian government accountable so that it respects the legislation on free movement for non-Schengen citizens and to find solutions that do not penalize Romanians twice in Austrian airports. “Austrian Minister of the Interior Karner is in Bucharest today. I am waiting for him to give explanations and take immediate measures”, adds the MEP.”
What else is new? Austrians and the Dutch don’t like us, they don’t want us and never will accept us as EU citizens with equal rights.
They only care about our natural resources and how they can more easily exploit them.
Nothing new under the sun.
And what those racist 🐖 will do to solve it?
And we have to play nice in order to maintain “good relations” with them. As a simple citizen u just have to endure all this because our president ,government are corupted spineless garbage with hidden agendas. Next elections …
This sounds like something straight out of the Onion.
Am I the only one who doesn’t want to be reminded weekly that weak Germany exists?
And many around r/europe still thinks that we exaggerate when we say that Romanians are second class citizens and many westerners are xenophobic towards us.
7 comments
Translation with google:
“The Vienna International Airport recognizes that the European rights of Romanians are violated by the illegal additional security controls to which they are subjected. This happens after MEPs Nicu Ștefănuță and Vasile Blaga asked for explanations regarding the double standard applied to Romanian citizens.
On March 28, MEP Nicu Ștefănuță together with MEP Vasile Blaga sent a letter to the director of the Vienna Airport, asking for explanations regarding the double standard applied to Romanian citizens, who are unfairly subjected to additional security checks. Airport management responded by citing terminal infrastructure issues. “Do you remember when I said that the Austrians humiliate us and make us stand in lines for nothing, just because we are not in Schengen? I was right! What’s more, I received an apology from the Vienna Airport which admits that it is wrong and that it does not exactly comply with the European legislation that mentions a single security check. Airport managers cite infrastructure problems: that it is difficult with the terminals, that non-Schengen passengers are also mixed with those from outside the EU, etc. I’m sorry, but I’m not satisfied with the answer. It is a violation of the human dignity of Romanians! It’s their problem, not ours. We are European citizens, and EU law tells us that a security check is sufficient in transit (one stop security ready). Therefore, we notified the European Commission and asked them to investigate this situation and to take measures quickly”, declares Nicu Ștefănuță.
How Vienna International Airport responds ” We are aware of the facts you described and we regret that Romanian passengers have to go through security checks again in some cases when they change planes. Practically, passengers from Romanian airports have the appropriate security status to be able to go to other Schengen destinations without additional security control in Vienna, as Romanian airports are already “One-Stop Security Ready” (OSS). As the specified connections are non-Schengen flights, despite the security status, a passport check must be carried out upon arrival. If the aircraft is positioned at Pier North (Terminal 3) after arriving at Vienna International Airport, for structural reasons, passengers arriving from OSS countries often mix with those from non-OSS countries.
In these cases, another security check is required after passport control. In addition to the traffic volume, the positioning also depends on the requirements of our customers, the airlines and the next planned flight (Schengen or International). We regret that passengers from Romania who wish to continue their journey to other Schengen countries cannot always take advantage of the security status. The special case that non-Schengen passengers already have a security status equivalent to that of Schengen passengers was unfortunately not foreseeable when planning the terminal building and therefore could not be taken into account at the time.
The foundation stone for Terminal 3 was laid in January 2006, that is, before Romania’s accession to the EU. Of course, we always strive to improve the terminal infrastructure. Through the “South Extension” project, Vienna Airport will build an additional terminal building which, among other things, creates a connection between terminals 2 and 3, which will allow passengers to pass from gate F to gate C, for example, without being need to leave the security area. This project was supposed to be completed as planned this year, but had to be postponed due to the COVID19 pandemic. Opening is now scheduled for 2027. This adjustment could, at least in some cases, solve the problem. The best scenario remains, however, the rapid accession of Romania to Schengen “.
In the interpellation sent to the European Commission on Tuesday, Nicu Ștefănuță demands an investigation of the situation in Vienna International Airport , but also in other European airports where Romanians’ rights are not respected, as well as holding the Austrian government accountable so that it respects the legislation on free movement for non-Schengen citizens and to find solutions that do not penalize Romanians twice in Austrian airports. “Austrian Minister of the Interior Karner is in Bucharest today. I am waiting for him to give explanations and take immediate measures”, adds the MEP.”
What else is new? Austrians and the Dutch don’t like us, they don’t want us and never will accept us as EU citizens with equal rights.
They only care about our natural resources and how they can more easily exploit them.
Nothing new under the sun.
And what those racist 🐖 will do to solve it?
And we have to play nice in order to maintain “good relations” with them. As a simple citizen u just have to endure all this because our president ,government are corupted spineless garbage with hidden agendas. Next elections …
This sounds like something straight out of the Onion.
Am I the only one who doesn’t want to be reminded weekly that weak Germany exists?
And many around r/europe still thinks that we exaggerate when we say that Romanians are second class citizens and many westerners are xenophobic towards us.