“It is tantamount to a tragedy that the European Union has decided not to commence accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia, because the delay is endangering the region’s peace and stability”, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Parliamentary State Secretary and Deputy Foreign Minister Levente Magyar declared on Tuesday in Luxembourg.

In a statement to Hungarian journalists following a meeting of the European Union’s General Affairs Council, the Deputy Foreign Minister emphasised that as a result of the decision the EU has permanently lost and “reduced to ashes” its credibility with relation to the two countries. “With the help of the administration and Hungary’s Commissioner responsible for the enlargement of the European Union, Hungary will be doing everything possible to reverse the process in the Western Balkans, which could lead to tragedy”, he highlighted. “Although Albania is in a more stable position, North Macedonia is struggling with instability, which the EU’s decision will further intensify, not reduce”, he highlighted. “The embers are glowing under the surface”, he said.

According to Mr. Magyar, at the meeting some large western EU member states, including France and Holland, argued against the commencement of accession negotiations using “preposterous and trumped up excuses”, including the citing of credibility. “In their opinion, the two countries are not mature enough for accession, and must make further progress with relation to the rule of law”, the Hungarian Deputy Foreign Minister said. Referring to the postponement of enlargement, Mr. Magyar emphasised that if a new wave of migration were to appear on the Balkans, there are no countries to the south of Hungary that would be capable of stopping it.

“But if the two countries in question, as well as Serbia and Montenegro, are successfully reinforced politically, the improvement in their defence capabilities would remove the burden caused by migration from Hungary’s shoulders, a burden that it is alone in bearing in the European Union”, he explained. “All possible instruments must be used to bring the EU membership of Albania and North Macedonia within tangible reach to avoid the possible development of an acute conflict”, the Deputy Foreign Minister declared.

(MTI)