“Hungary expects Greece to conform to Schengen regulations and protect the external borders of the Schengen Area, because this is not an optional exercise but a jointly adopted European regulation”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade told Hungarian news agency MTI on Thursday.

The Ministry issued the statement with reference to an interview by Hungarian daily Népszabadság with Greek Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Ksidakis, during which the Greek politican said: “Greece is saddened and disappointed by the accusations against Athens made by the Hungarian Government concerning the refugee crisis”. “The Hungarian Government says it doesn’t have a refugee problem, but why does it want to tell others what to do? We have never criticised the politics of the Hungarian Government or Hungary’s Prime Minister”, Mr. Ksidakis said.

In reaction, the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade explained that by not conforming to international regulations, Greece is leaving Europe unprotected. If Greece is incapable of protecting Europe’s external borders then it should accept international assistance. But such assistance “doesn’t mean the presence of a few bureaucrats”, but of a several thousand strong European border protection unit, the statement said, adding that Hungary would be prepared to become involved in the setting up of such a unit.

The Ministry also stated that “instead of inviting illegal immigrants to Europe, we should provide them with assistance in territories bordering Syria”, enabling them to live in dignified conditions and return home after the war is over. For this reason, Hungary’s standpoint is that the European Union must participate in the financing of refugee camps, the Ministry’s statement says.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/MTI)