“The acceleration of Serbia’s European integration is in the interests of Hungary and Europe, and accordingly Hungary will continue to provide Serbia with all possible support”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said in Budapest on Tuesday.
Mr. Szijjártó held talks with Serbia’s Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimović, following which at their joint press conference, he stressed: “One of the key elements of the debate on the future of the European Union is enlargement, but unfortunately there is significant resistance towards enlargement within the EU today, which is a problem, because this year, for the first time in the EU’s history, the number of member states will be reduced”.
“Hungary’s goal is for the EU to gain strength, and this requires new member states, countries that reinforce the EU’s security and economy, and the countries of the Western Balkans are such countries”, he explained.
“The danger of the development of new waves of migration, and the fact that mercenary terrorists who serve the Islamic State could return to Europe, represent the greatest current dangers to the security of the European Union”, he explained. “Migration pressure on the Western Balkans is going to increase, and accordingly the European integration of the region’s countries and closer border security cooperation would serve to improve European security”, he pointed out.
“Hungary is supporting the acceleration of Serbia’s accession process, and is facilitating the performance of border protection tasks, for which reason Hungarian police are also serving on the Serbian-Macedonian border, in addition to which a Hungarian diplomatic is also working at the relative Serbian ministry to facilitate EU integration”, Mr. Szijjártó stated.
The Minister said that in his opinion enlargement is moving forward extremely slowly, and it is unfair towards countries that are waiting to join the European Union that the EU does not want to take on new member states before 2025. “The European Commission has failed dismally in recent years with relation to the question of enlargement, and Western Balkan enlargement has not progresses at a suitable degree, whereas all negotiations chapters with Serbia should be opened before the end of this year”, he said.
The Hungarian Foreign Minister also mentioned that a Hungarian-Serbian cabinet summit will be held in March. “Now that the Hungarian economy has moved forward into a new phase of its growth, the time has come for the foreign investments of Hungarian enterprises to play at least as important a role as foreign investments in Hungary do, and Serbia is an important target country in this respect”, he explained. “The Vojvodina Economic Development Programme will continue, and a budget of 7.5 billion forints (EUR 24 million) has been earmarked for this purpose for this year”, he stated.
The Serbian Minister highlighted: “Hungary has always supported the European integration of Serbia, and this is important in view of the fact that not all EU member states support enlargement”. “It is important that the issue of enlargement is not set aside because of the European Parliament elections and the debate on the next multiannual financial framework”, she said.
Jadranka Joksimović, who also held a speech at the currently ongoing ambassadors’ conference, told the press: “Enlargement isn’t a problem, but one of the European Union’s most important policies, which can strengthen the EU”. “It would be good if we succeeded in opening at least five negotiation chapters this year”, she said.
(MTI)
