“Until such time as a new agreement comes about between the EU and Turkey concerning the curbing of migration processes, we will not be able to count on Turkey stopping the flow of immigrants towards the external borders of the European Union”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said at a press conference on Thursday in Budapest following a telephone consultation with his Turkish counterpart.

“We discussed two important issues with Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu: migration and the natural gas supply”, the politician highlighted.

He reminded reporters that an important agreement had successfully been concluded in Moscow on Wednesday. “From the end of 2021, it is realistic for Hungary to be able to purchase large quantities of natural gas via Turkey, Bulgaria and Serbia”, he stated.

“Migration pressure on Turkey is increasing, and we know of some one and a half million Syrian domestic refugees who could set out towards Turkey”, Mr. Szijjártó emphasised. “In addition, however, according to the information provided by the Turkish Foreign Minister, migration pressure from the direction of Pakistan and Afghanistan is also steadily increasing”, he added, noting that last year Turkey stopped 455 thousand migrants.

“Until such time as Brussels begins taking Turkey’s requests, concerns and requirements seriously, we cannot count on a reduction of migration pressure along the Turkish-Greek border”, the Foreign Minister emphasised. “Who knows how long the Greeks will be able to hold the border?”, he asked.

“This is also important and raises the question of Brussels’ responsibility because from now on immigration no longer bears with it just security and cultural risks, but also an extremely serious health risk in view of the fact that uncontrolled, mass migration processes represent an extreme danger these days, when all measures are aimed at there being as little contact as possible between people and as few mass congregations of people as possible”, he highlighted. “In contrast, mass waves of uncontrolled migration point in exactly the opposite direction and represent a major health risk”, he declared.

Mr. Szijjártó also spoke about the fact that there is a dispute between the EU and Turkey with respect to the fact that the EU promised Ankara six billion euros, and opinions differ with relation to how much of this has actually been paid out. “What is certain is that it is not six billion. It is time for Brussels to finally begin negotiating with Turkey on a foundation of common sense, and it would be good if, instead of only repeating its own side of the issue, it were to conclude an agreement with Turkey based on reality, with which this issue can finally be put in order”, he stated.

Mr. Szijjártó also mentioned that a Hungarian company has ordered eights tons of textile raw materials from Turkey, from which face masks can be produced. “The Turkish Foreign Minister has now promised that this shipment will receive an export licence, and accordingly the goods will already be able to enter Hungary this week”, he said, adding that this is undoubtedly a piece of good news in view of the fact that protective equipment is important to protecting against the coronavirus, and it is clear that supplying enough protective masks currently poses a challenge worldwide.

The Minister also reported on the fact that there are currently 4500 Hungarian citizens who have registered abroad for consular protection, but that there are obviously more outside the country’s borders.

He asked all Hungarians who are currently abroad and would like to return home to contact the relative foreign representation. “Major air traffic restrictions could be introduced that could easily make returning home impossible, or extremely difficult”, he pointed out.

“There are currently 112 Hungarian citizens under quarantine in 12 countries, and this number has suddenly increased to such an extent because Austria has essentially closed off the whole of its Tyrol region, as a result of which there are now currently 86 Hungarian citizens in quarantine in Austria”, Mr. Szijjártó stated. “Of these 112 Hungarians, the coronavirus tests of four have come back positive”, he added.

(MTI)