Illegal immigration conveys major economic risks for the whole of Europe, and without the protection of the external borders, there is a chance that the Schengen Area may become „disintegrated”. At the same time, the survival of the Schengen Area is in the best interests of both the Hungarian and German economies, Péter Szijjártó stressed.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade also remarked at the press conference that was held after the 19th meeting of the Hungarian-Bavarian mixed committee that the cessation of the Schengen Area would lead to the complete loss of Europe’s economic competitiveness.

The migration crisis also raises the question as to how long the internal borders can be kept open if the external borders cannot be protected, he added.

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Mr Szijjártó repeatedly stated that Hungary’s position is that the solution to the immigration crisis begins with the protection of the external borders.

Now that the fence has been built on Hungary’s southern border, the appropriate legal rules have been passed and the Visegrád countries have pledged to provide assistance, Hungary is able to reassure Bavaria that no illegal migrants will arrive in Bavaria from Hungary, and that Hungary will protect the external borders of the European Union and the Schengen Area also in the future, he stressed.

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Beate Merk, Bavarian State Minister for European Affairs and International Relations highlighted that they see the situation in the same light on a number of points regarding the issue of migration. She, too, stressed that Europe’s external borders must be protected; we must know who are coming here and what they want, she said. Wherever humanitarian help is required, it must be provided there, she stated, but also stressed that those coming to Germany for economic reasons cannot stay. They must be sent back to their countries, and this is also an issue of fairness.

The Bavarian Minister took the view: if the Balkans route had not been sealed, the situation would be the same in Germany today as it was last year. One must further admit that the capacity of each country to take in and to integrate migrants is limited, she said.

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Beate Merk added: they would like to proceed in a humane manner. In her view, the causes that led to the current situation must be tackled in the region of Syria, and further action must be taken on the African continent as well, ensuring that the people living there should not set out for Europe.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)