European Parliament members Ilhan Kyuchyuk representing Bulgaria and Vlad Botos representing Romania led a protest at Vienna's Ministry of Interior on Monday, denouncing Austria's stance against Bulgaria's and Romania's Schengen area admission. Austrian MP Helmut Brandstatter joined the demonstration.

Kyuchyuk voiced strong opposition, highlighting that both Bulgaria and Romania have met membership criteria since 2011 but are victims of Austria's internal politics, citing their effective protection of the EU's external border as crucial.

The MEP stressed the necessity of public discussion, stating that amplifying the debate until December's end improves the chances of success for entry into the Schengen area. He emphasized the need for unified efforts among the executive, legislative bodies, and MEPs to achieve Schengen accession.

This marks the second joint effort by Bulgarian and Romanian MEPs after their earlier press conference at the Ruse-Giurgiu border crossing. Their continued collaboration underscores the shared commitment to advocating for Schengen entry.