“Germany could soon decide on making an exception to the export ban and will be shipping the previously ordered protective equipment to Hungary”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said at a press conference in Budapest on Friday. The Minister held a meeting with the foreign ministers of the Visegrád Group countries (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, the V4) and Germany. Mr. Szijjártó noted that the meeting was originally to be held in Prague, but the parties decided to hold a video conference in view of the coronavirus epidemic.

Reporting on the meeting, the Minister stressed that he and his colleagues had informed each other with relation to the coronavirus situation and the related border measures. He explained that several institutions involved in healthcare protection had ordered protective equipment from amongst others Germany, but there is now an export ban in force there with relation to this kind of equipment.

Mr. Szijjártó said that earlier in the week he had already discussed the situation with his German counterpart, who promised that a solution would be found to enable this equipment to reach Hungary. “At today’s meeting, the German Foreign Minister said new regulations had been introduced according to which Germany will be able to make an exception in the case of transporting protective equipment to other EU countries; the relative body has been set up, and will hopefully be making the decision to enable shipments of equipment ordered by Hungarian healthcare institutions to also set out for Hungary”, he explained.

The Minister highlighted that migration had also been an important topic of discussion at the meeting. “We expect Greece to protect the external Schengen border”, he stated. “With relation to uncontrolled waves of migration, we must now also begin speaking about the health risks, because uncontrolled movements of people represent a major health risk, especially in the current situation”, he declared. The Foreign Minister also said that: “With relation to migration, in 2015 our position was met with claims of Nazism, but in 2020 this is now the European mainstream”. “In 2015, offensive accusations were made against Hungary for protecting the external border and not tolerating the illegal crossing of the border”, he reminded the press.

“From the next quarter, Germany will be taking over the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, and accordingly we were also briefed on the planned priorities of the German presidency”, Mr. Szijjártó said. “Hungary and Poland made it clear that they regard the Article 7 proceedings as being political in nature, with all possible questions and responses already stated, and accordingly we have called for the proceedings to be ended”, he declared.

With relation to EU enlargement, Mr. Szijjártó said we may be hopeful with relation to the 24 March session of the General Affairs Council, if it takes place, in view of the fact that the position of countries that are against the commencement of accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia could become more flexible. “It would be good if this did not draw attention away from the negotiations that are already ongoing, however”, he stated.

In reply to a question, the Minister said the planned summit between the Turkish President and the countries of the Visegrád Group had been postponed indefinitely. At the end of the press conference, Mr. Szijjártó also reported on the fact that there are currently seven Hungarian citizens in quarantine in four countries because of the coronavirus. “Three Hungarian members of the crew of the ship previously placed in quarantine off the coast of Japan have been allowed to leave quarantine, and the local authorities have lifted the quarantine previously imposed in a resort complex on the Maldives”, he told the press. “There is currently one Hungarian citizen in quarantine in Singapore and one in Vietnam, because they were aboard a plane with an infected person. There are two Hungarians aboard the ship that is moored at Oakland; they are members of the crew, and are being cared for by the cruise line. There are two Hungarians in China’s Hubei province”, he continued. The Minister highlighted the fact that the Ministry is in contact with all of the people involved, who are well considering the conditions, and are being provided with all possible assistance.

(MTI)