“It has become clear that there exist two totally different world views and approaches with relation to migration”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said in a statement to Hungarian news agency MTI on Wednesday in Istanbul following the 6th ministerial-level session of the Budapest Process.

“At the conference, the European Commission did everything possible to ensure that everything was about how good migration is for Europe and the fact there is a need for further migration processes”, Mr. Szijjártó said.

“Brussels wanted to also use the Budapest Process to encourage new waves of migration, but we succeeded in preventing the adoption of the closing document”, the Minister stressed.

“Central European unity has shown itself once again, and in addition to the four countries of the Visegrád Group, Austria and Italy also did not sign the Istanbul declaration and the related action plan”, Mr. Szijjártó explained.

“These countries do not agree at all with the claim that migration processes are good and should be inspired”, he stated.

“Migration represents and holds new and extreme dangers for Europe. Events in recent weeks in the Western Balkans have become quite alarming. Both Bosnia-Hercegovina and North Macedonia have apprehended terrorists who previously fought in the Middle East under the banner of the Islamic State jihadist organisation”, the Minister said.

“Now that the international coalition organised to combat the Islamic State has beaten the jihadist organisation, their mercenary terrorists are beginning to return to Europe, representing a new threat of terrorism for the continent”, Mr. Szijjártó told the press.

“There is clear information concerning that fact that these mercenary terrorists want to return to the territory of the European Union by the hundreds. This must be prevented; it must be stopped”, the Minister said.

“Everyone who is encouraging migration processes, including the UN and Brussels, are putting Europe’s security in extreme danger, because new waves of migration will give the terrorists further opportunities to return to Europe”, Mr. Szijjártó highlighted.

“The situation in the Western Balkans is becoming increasingly dramatic. There are currently 25 thousand illegal immigrants in Bosnia-Hercegovina, the influx of migrants into Greece has increased by 32 percent, and people are also continuously arriving in Serbia”, the Minister stated.

“Hungarian border guards are discovering increasing numbers of cases in which illegal migrants are not attempting to enter the country by illegally crossing the border fence, but by hiding in vehicles that are crossing the border legally”, he added.

Within the framework of the Istanbul conference, Mr. Szijjártó held bilateral talks with Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, Greek Migration Minister Dimitris Vitsas, Polish Interior Minister Joachim Brudziński, Croatian Interior Minister Davor Božinović, Bosnia-Hercegovina’s Minister for National Security Dragan Mektic, Serbian Interior Minister Nebojša Stefanović and North Macedonian Interior Minister Oliver Spasovski.

The Budapest Process is a dialogue on migration established in the Hungarian capital in 1993, within the framework of which the 52 participating states, the countries of Europe and the countries that lie along the so-called Silk Road – Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iraq and Iran – as well as international organisations, discuss and search for solutions to international migration and asylum challenges. Hungary is taking part in this cooperation as Co-Chair, and since 2006 the role of President has been played by Turkey. Seven countries have observer status, including the United States.

The Istanbul conference was officially opened by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at a gala dinner on Tuesday.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/MTI)