“Migration pressure should be eliminated, not managed”, State Secretary for International Communication and Relations Zoltán Kovács said on Hungarian M1 television’s Thursday evening current affairs program.

With relation to the summit of the heads of state of the Visegrád Group countries (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, the V4) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Bratislava, Mr. Kovács stressed: “The V4 are Germany’s most important economic partners, and together the five countries make up the core of Europe. “These well-functioning economic relations are in danger of being darkened by disputed issues relating to migration”, he added.

According to the State Secretary, joint action against migration is still possible within the current framework. He drew attention to the fact that major decisions should, however, be postponed until the European Parliament elections in May. “Let the people of Europe decide on the issue of migration”, he noted.

Concerning the European Union’s next 7-year multiannual financial framework, Mr. Kovács highlighted: “It is unacceptable to Hungary that the poorest countries should receive less than before”. “Otherwise, 80 percent of the EU money flowing into the region finds its way back to Western Europe, meaning this is a mutually advantageous relationship that on the one hand facilitates the region’s cohesion, while also serving Western Europe economic interests”, the State Secretary for International Communication and Relations said.

(MTI)