“There has never been a greater need for cooperation between the European Union and NATO in view of the fact that European security is being severely impaired by the immigration crisis”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said following Friday’s meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels.

“Europe is experiencing the most serious crisis in its history, since what the immigration crisis means to Europe is a significantly increased terrorist threat and a significant reduction in public safety”, Mr. Szijjártó said.

“The daily arrival of thousands of uncontrolled immigrants has given terrorist organisations the opportunity to exploit this and send their terrorists to Europe, the consequences of which can already be felt”, he continued.

“Accordingly, it is clear that the immigration crisis poses a major security risk to Europe, which in turn represents a security risk for the whole Transatlantic community. Cooperation between the European Union and NATO is also required because certain Member States have lost their sovereignty as a result of having become incapable of controlling their own borders”, he added.

“The Hungarian Prime Minister’s Schengen 2.0 plan is, amongst others, about Europe regaining the capability to control its territory”, the Foreign Minister stressed.

A significant proportion of immigrants set out for Europe from Afghanistan, where the political situation remains unstable, Mr. Szijjártó told reporters.

According to the original plan, the North Atlantic Alliance is supposed to withdraw its troops from the country at the end of 2016, but NATO foreign ministers feel the situation in the country is not yet ready for this, he added. “Their recommendation is that NATO should extend its mission in Afghanistan until 2020 in the interests of the stability of the country and the region. Otherwise, new masses of people will flee the country and arrive in Europe as immigrants”, he continued.

The Foreign Minister stressed that Hungary is prepared to maintain its 110-person military presence in Afghanistan even after 2016 in the interests of the country’s stability.

“The Hungarian Government has decided to extend the period during which it will be providing annual funding of half a million US Dollars towards the development of Afghan security forces until 2020”, he highlighted.

Mr. Szijjártó expressed his hope that the general political statements made so far would be adopted as a joint declaration at the upcoming July NATO summit in Warsaw.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)