Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó had talks with his Croatian, Bosnian and Kosovar counterparts Miro Kovač, Igor Crnadak and Enver Hoxhaj on Friday at the Dubrovnik Forum international foreign and security policy meeting. Following these he told Hungarian news agency MTI that it is in the interests of Hungary for there to be peace and stability in the Western Balkan region as soon as possible.

Mr. Szijjártó said that there is increasing tension in the Western Balkans: whether it is the verbal duel between Serbian and Croatia, dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, or political events in Bosnia, it is in the interests of both Europe and Hungary that peace and stability is restored in the region as soon as possible.

The Hungarian minister pointed out that in recent years it has become clear that there is only one way to achieve this: for the European integration process related to these countries to be accelerated again.

“Therefore Hungary supports the EU and Euro Atlantic integration process of all Western Balkan countries”, he stressed.

The Minister explained that this is why Hungary supported Croatia in its accession talks, and why it is now supporting Serbia in the same way. This is also why at the General Affairs Council on 20 September – once the European Commission has prepared its opinion – Hungary will urge that the European Council makes a decision on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s accession requests as soon as possible.

“Furthermore, we fully support the position that Kosovo has also met the final requirement, and is granted visa exemption – just like Georgia and Ukraine”, he declared.

As part of the Dubrovnik Forum, the Minister also held talks with Croatian Minister of Economy Tomislav Panenić, with whom his discussions included the INA-MOL issue.

Mr. Szijjártó said that they have agreed to reopen the discussion after Croatia’s early parliamentary elections on 11 September.
Mr. Szijjártó said that it is regrettable, however, that MOL has again become one of the main topics of the election campaign, and that the leaders of the main political parties are almost competing to make the harshest comments about the company.

He also stressed that the Government of Hungary would prefer it if the Croatian government stops hindering the “rational and business-like decisions [concerning MOL-INA], in order to allow the oil company’s projects in Croatia to operate profitably”. This is not only in the interests of MOL, he added, but also of Croatia.

(MTI)