Romania's Interior Minister Catalin Predoiu and his Austrian counterpart Gerhard Karner underlined on Tuesday, during a visit to the Port of Constanta, the importance of cooperation between the two states in ensuring the security of Romania's and the European Union's maritime border.

According to Predoiu, Romania and Austria have shown they can overcome difficult moments through direct dialogue, cooperation and concrete results.

'I hereby welcome the substantial cooperation developed with our Austrian partners in recent years, cooperation that has helped strengthen mutual trust. Romania and Austria have demonstrated that they can overcome difficult moments through direct dialogue, practical cooperation and concrete results. I would especially like to reiterate my appreciation and our thanks for Austria's support for Romania's strategic objective of joining the OECD. (...) We currently have, at the level of our Interior ministries, a strong and dynamic partnership, and I firmly believe that this cooperation is not only valuable, but essential for responding to current risks and threats to European security. This visit reconfirms the excellent level of relations between our ministries and the solid nature of our cooperation in home affairs, in a spirit of trust, coordination and shared responsibility for European security,' Predoiu said.

He added that the talks with his Austrian counterpart included 'a hands-on exchange of views' on key topics of common interest - border security, combating illegal migration, police cooperation, and countering hybrid threats and disinformation.

'Romania continues to support the development of joint mechanisms with Austria, including in the field of data exchange, the work of liaison officers and joint initiatives aimed at combating migrant smuggling, cross-border organised crime and other threats to our security,' the minister said, welcoming 'the very good results obtained by Romanian and Austrian authorities in combating human trafficking, including the dismantling in early May of a network involved in the sexual exploitation of young Romanian women in Austria, with the support of Europol and Eurojust.'

Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said that cooperation in recent years has produced remarkable results for the citizens' safety.

'It is a great honor for me to speak to you today, dear colleagues from the Police, Border Police and Coast Guard. Thank you very much, dear Catalin, for your invitation and for the extremely intensive cooperation we have had in recent years. Because through this cooperation, we have achieved remarkable successes for the safety of our citizens,' Karner said.

He also referred to Romania's Schengen accession.

'My last visit to Bucharest, three years ago, in April 2023, and the discussion back then took place under much more difficult circumstances. Let me remind you that that moment was not a veto against Romania and Bulgaria, it was not my veto against you, but it was a call addressed by Austria to the European community. At that time, Austria had the highest number of migrants and asylum seekers in Europe. I am glad to be here today, because many things have changed in Europe since then. In recent years, many positive developments have taken place for Europe's security and for the safety of our citizens. The protection of Europe's borders has improved significantly, the number of Frontex officers has doubled, and concrete measures are being implemented. The European Union and the European Commission have invested substantial funds in both Romania and Bulgaria - measures that were absolutely necessary,' Gerhard Karner said.

Predoiu and Karner delivered their statements in the Port of Constanta in the context of the Austrian delegation's visit for an integrated exercise planned by the Interior Ministry's structures and institutional partners responsible for combating illegal migration and securing the EU's external borders.

According to the Interior Ministry, close cooperation between Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Austria has reduced illegal migration at the EU's external borders by more than 80%.

Between 2025 and 2026, the Interior Ministry carried out approximately 2,800 targeted Blitz-type operations aimed at preventing and combating illegal migration and cross-border crime. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Nona Jalba; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)