“The right of EU member states to debate issues relating to the future of integration cannot be taken away”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said at his annual hearing before Parliament’s European Affairs Committee.

“The historic challenges faced by the EU ‘have remained with us’ during the past year”, the Minister highlighted.

“Today, there are major disputes in Europe with regard to these challenges, and this is natural in view of the fact that there are 28 sovereign countries in the integration, and accordingly ‘it is not particularly democratic’ to question their opportunity to debate these issues”, he said. “It is antidemocratic and unacceptable to call those who want to retain the right to debate un-European”, he added.

Among the challenges facing the EU, the Hungarian Foreign Minister mentioned terrorism, immigration, energy security, Brexit and the situation in Ukraine.

With relation to terrorism, he pointed out that during the past two years there have been 27 terrorist attacks in Europe, claiming the lives of 330 people and injuring 1300 others.

“Terrorism didn’t use to be part of everyday life in Europe, and Hungary rejects the fact that we should have to live with this, and that this is something natural”, he said, adding: “We expect European institutions to finally take action with regard to this issue”.

“In addition, certain social integration processes in Europe have failed and parallel societies have come about in certain countries”, he explained, adding that “These facts must be faced; their existence cannot be ignored out of convenience or because of political correctness”.

“Africa has an unlimited supply of new immigrants”, the Foreign Minister stated.

“Accordingly, instead of policies that encourage migrants to set out for Europe we must come to an agreement with African countries on how we can help them solve the causes of migration”, Mr. Szijjártó explained. “Europe’s security begins in Africa”, he declared.

On the subject of energy security, the Minister told the Committee that “an astounding level of European hypocrisy and political correctness” is characteristic with relation to the issue. “Hungary still cannot purchase gas from the south, because the  two-way transport of natural gas via Romania and Croatia is still impossible, and Croatia is not constructing the required LNG terminal on the Island of Krk”, he said. Mr. Szijjártó said that in his opinion the infrastructure required for diversification is not yet present, and Central Europe is the victim of the current situation.

With relation to Brexit, Mr. Szijjártó said that a “nightmare-like scenario could also come about”, because if the EU is not successful in concluding the most wide-ranging and comprehensive free trade agreement possible with Great Britain then the World Trade Organisation (WTO) regulations will come into force, and that would be extremely detrimental to European competitiveness.

On the subject of Ukraine, the Minister said that Hungary had so far been the “loudest supporter” of Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations, but Ukraine “stabbed Hungary in the back” when in September its Parliament passed the decision that “dramatically curtails” the rights of the Hungarian community.

“The Education Act is contrary to fundamental international agreements and norms. Hungary will continue to support Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty in future, but will fight on every possible platform to ensure that the Hungarian minority is given back their due rights”, he declared.

“Hungary is also using its current Presidency of the Visegrád Group to declare their support for EU enlargement, because the only way of coming to grips with the tensions that exist within the Western Balkan region is to accelerate the Euro-Atlantic integration of the countries involved”, he noted.

In reply to a question from Committee Chairman Richárd Hörcsik, Mr. Szijjártó explained that a strong integration must be built on strong member states. “Hungary rejects the idea of a United States of Europe; instead, the role of member states must be increased”, he declared.

“From this perspective, the exit of Great Britain is a major loss in view of the fact that the country represented a similar standpoint in this debate”, he pointed out.

In reply to a question from István Józsa, the Minister said Hungary had produced its best foreign trade figures in history last year, and the feat is expected to be repeated again this year.

In reply to a question on the Hungarian Trading House from Deputy Chair Tibor Bana, Mr. Szijjártó told the Committee that the Hungarian state must help small and medium-sized enterprises to achieve success on foreign markets.

In reply to another question from the Jobbik Party Deputy Chairman, the Foreign Minister said that “standing up for cross-border Hungarians is at the centre of Hungarian foreign policy and the Government will continue to stand up for them as determinedly and loudly as possible in future”.

“In all cases, Hungarian foreign policy acts according to the wishes of the local Hungarian community”, he added.

In reply to a question on the expansion of the Schengen Area from Mátyás Firtl, the Hungarian Foreign Minister said that Bulgaria has done everything possible to be eligible for Schengen membership, and it is in Hungary’s interests for Romania to also fulfil all the necessary criteria.

(MTI)