In a statement responding to Chancellor of Austria Werner Faymann’s statement on Saturday calling for EU states which do not want to receive migrants to be granted less EU funding, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó announced that the Government of Hungary rejects the Austrian chancellor’s blackmail.

The Minister explained that Hungary has met the eligibility requirements for EU funding; illegal migration has nothing to do with this.

He stated that Europe will only be weakened if European leaders spend their time blackmailing each other. This must not be allowed or accepted – especially not in times of crisis.

On the issue of Austria introducing stricter migration measures, Mr. Szijjártó said that it is “better late than never”. At the same time, he pointed out that illegal migration is too big a problem for Europe to be held hostage to so-called political correctness for a whole year.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)