“A weak Europe is of no use to the world, because it is incapable of performing the role for which it is intended, which is to assist poorer peoples”, Minister of Human Capacities Zoltán Balog said in a statement to Hungarian news agency MTI on Thursday following a podium discussion at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna.

Mr. Balog said Europe’s future is in Central European cooperation from an economic, political and cultural perspective alike, and accordingly drew the attention of the Viennese academy to the importance of closer cooperation with the Visegrád Group.

Following the podium discussion, the Minister stressed that when Europe is facing challenges that could affect its future, all possible forums must be exploited to allow better understanding of each other’s standpoints through mutual dialogue.

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The Minister also said that it was a positive step that the issues raised by Hungary with regard to migration, demographics and competitiveness, as well as issues concerning internal and external security, had been raised during the course of the evening, and which “represent at least as big a problem for Austria and Europe as they do for Hungary”.

In his debate-launching speech, Mr. Balog said we must return to regional dialogue, because it is much more useful if discussions occur at local level than in Brussels.

The Minister warned that migration and the free movement of people within the European Union must not be compared. “The European identity is based on diversity, but in the case of migration we are talking about the incursion of cultures that have totally different roots to those of Europe”, the Minister said. Mr. Balog also declared that refugees must be give assistance in their countries of origin.

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At the event, former Austrian Chancellor Erhard Busek spoke about the fact that Central Europe is experience dramatic changes that are also affecting Austria, and that accordingly “our most important task is to face these challenges”. Mr. Busek declared that less criticism should be aimed at governments of neighbouring states, and instead we must examine the background of events, which are all related to the future of Europe.

Professor Ferdinand Trauttmansdorff from the Andrássy University in Budapest said that in his opinion there is a greater need than ever for a strong Europe. He also spoke about the fact that effective neighbour policy in Europe could be founded on identity and communication, adding that he felt the latter were missing from current Austrian and Hungarian relations, and that for this reason the exchange of views with the Hungarian Minister of Human Capacities was very important.

Historian Heidemarie Uhl from the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) said Europe had arrived at a cultural milestone when many things are disappearing, and which accordingly is leading to the rise of cultural phenomena. Ms. Uhl said that in her opinion the current deep-rooted European crisis is searching for a reply to the question of what Europe is in reality. The current political disputes are generally about the continued existence of conventional liberal democracy, she said.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)