“Hungary will protect its borders under all circumstances; we will not allow entry to a single illegal immigrant”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó emphasised in a statement to the Hungarian press in Belgrade on Monday.

“To us, the security of the country and of the Hungarian people are paramount”, he explained, adding: “We will protect ourselves, just as we did in 2015 and have been doing ever since”. He also said that if Serbia needs help and support to protect its southern border, then Hungary is prepared to do so, as it has also done in previous years in view of the fact that over six hundred Hungarian police officers have already helped to protect Serbia’s southern border in recent years, and there are currently twenty Hungarian police officers on duty on the Serbian-North Macedonian border. Mr. Szijjártó held talks on the subject with Serbian Interior Minister Nebojša Stefanović.

He told the press that he and the Serbian Interior Minister had discussed border protection, the situations that have developed in Turkey and Syria, and the conflicts experienced along the Turkish-Greek border in view of the fact that they give rise to major concern and suggest that a wave of migration of hundreds of thousands of people could reach the Western Balkan region in the upcoming period. With relation to this, he pointed out that he had consulted with the Greek Foreign Minister by telephone and assured him of his support. During their conversation, he pointed out that Hungary is fully aware of what it is like when the national border is under attack and police and military personnel are attacked, while in the meantime the international liberal media is generating pieces of false news. “I told him that we protected our border in 2015, and this is what I encouraged my Greek colleague to also do”, he added.

Mr. Szijjártó added that the current situation also clearly indicates the importance of the EU integration of the Western Balkans, since the more to the south Europe’s line of defence, the better, and accordingly Hungary is continuing to call for the acceleration of accession negotiations with the Serbs. “Serbia is ready to open a new negotiation chapter, and we are asking the Croatian presidency to immediately open these new chapters”, he stated. During his visit to Belgrade, Mr. Szijjártó also met with Serbian Minister for European Integration Jadranka Joksimović, whom he also assured of Hungary’s support. At their joint press conference, it was stated that in addition to diplomatic relations, economic relations between Serbia and Hungary are also excellent. “Serbia is a strategic partner to Hungary from all aspects”, the two ministers declared.

Minister for European Integration Jadranka Joksimović said relations between the two countries, and the measures they are introducing in line with their common economic interests, are exemplary. She thanked the Hungarian government for always having supported Serbia’s European integration aspirations and the further expansion of bilateral relations. Serbia began its accession negotiations with the European Union in 2014. In the interests of being awarded full membership, the Western Balkan country must fulfil all of the requirements included in the 35 negotiation chapters. Serbia has already fulfilled 18 of these.

(MTI)