For many years, the best news about the incumbent European Commission has been that it will be replaced soon, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade told the Hungarian news agency MTI on Thursday by telephone from Helsinki where he is attending the meeting of the foreign ministers of the European Union’s Member States.

Europe has recently faced a great many challenges, and the number and weight of these are expected to further increase. The European Commission itself has posed the greatest burden on the management of these challenges, Péter Szijjártó said.

In the past five years, the Commission has adopted a number of decisions which are contrary to Europe’s security and economic interests: they have contributed to the escalation of the immigration crisis, have opened Europe’s borders, and have invited into Europe hundreds of thousands or even millions of illegal immigrants who are clearly a threat to our security, he added.

During its term remaining until the end of October, the European Commission will do everything it can to retaliate for the aspirations which have been aimed, against the Commission’s will, at the protection of the EU’s borders and at keeping illegal immigrants outside, he said.

The fact that they are only prepared to reimburse one per cent of Hungary’s border protection expenses is evidently one of these last desperate attempts. Whatever will happen, the Hungarian government insists on the maintenance of the fence on the southern border section, insists on protecting Hungary’s borders, and not only until the end of October, but also beyond the establishment of the new European Commission, the Minister said.

According to Mr Szijjártó, the Hungarian opposition is taking action in the interest of illegal immigration. In accordance with Brussels’ will, they seek to weaken our border protection efforts, to dismantle the fence, and to let illegal immigrants in, he pointed out.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/MTI)