“Bulgaria and Hungary have similar opinions on the most important problems facing the European Union and are providing similar responses to them, and accordingly when there will be major disputes on the future of the EU in the near future they will be able to count on each other as allies”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó declared at a press conference in Sofia following a meeting with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Boyko Borissov and several members of the Bulgarian Government.

“The two countries are allies in the debates concerning illegal migration and agree that illegal immigration must be stopped at Europe’s borders. We also agree that the EU must come to a decision on who can enter the European Union and who can’t before the individual sets foot on its territory”, he added.

“Hungary greatly appreciates Bulgaria’s efforts to protect the EU’s external borders, in an view of the fact that the Balkan country has received top marks in these endeavours, Budapest is a supporter of Bulgaria becoming a member of the Schengen Area at the earliest opportunity”, the Minister said, pointing out that Bulgaria has constructed a fence along a 260 kilometre stretch of its joint border with Turkey.

“The two countries can also count on each other as allies with regard to defending European Christian values. Both countries take the fact that European integration is built on Christian foundations seriously”, Mr. Szijjártó underlined.

“I have also held talks with your Prime Minister with relation to Ukraine’s new Education Act. There is also a significant Bulgarian minority living in Ukraine, and both government regard the Bulgarian Parliament’s decision that is leading to a significant violation of the rights of the Hungarian and Hungarian minorities within the field of receiving education in their native language as unacceptable and un-European”, the Hungarian Foreign Minister said, recalling the details of the meeting.

“For this reason, the two countries are making use of every European forum to assure that the rights of the Hungarian and Bulgarian minorities to receive education in their native language are once again enforced. We cannot accept that a country that is planning to achieve European integration should violate minority rights to such an extent, and as a result should so seriously violate the associating agreement between the European Union and Ukraine”, Mr. Szijjártó stressed.

(MTI)