Denmark agrees with Hungary in many respects as to how the migration crisis should be managed, Szabolcs Takács, State Secretary for EU Affairs of the Prime Minister’s Office told the Hungarian News Agency MTI by telephone on Monday upon rendering an account of his visit to Copenhagen.

The State Secretary said: in Copenhagen he had talks with Michael Starbaek Christensen, Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and Lone Dencker Wisborg, State Secretary for Foreign Policy at the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Migration was one of the priority topics of the meetings.

Denmark is in a specific situation because the decisions adopted with respect to EU home and justice affairs cooperation are not binding on it; however, Denmark agrees with Hungary in many respects as to how this crisis should be handled. Copenhagen, too, shares the view that the protection of the EU’s external borders is essential, as is the establishment of hot spots in countries neighbouring the EU which would function as EU registration points. These would not be optional for migrants but would form a mandatory part of the procedure, as part of which the authorities decide who qualifies as a refugee and who is an economic migrant, Mr Takács said.

Denmark takes the view that it is important to further improve the quality of life in the refugee camps in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon as this is what is necessary for the residents of these camps to consider staying there, rather than setting out for Europe. The State Secretary further agreed with his Danish partners that the EU’s development policy should also be reviewed, with a view to concentrating on the countries and regions from which typically economic migrants, rather than refugees come to Europe, he added.

Denmark is understanding as regards the situation of Hungary, and believes that the issue cannot be resolved merely by virtue of a relocation mechanism, given that this would only treat the symptom, and would disregard the causes, the State Secretary stressed.

He also mentioned that, at the initiative of the Danish Foreign Minister, the nine EU Member States which do not form part of the eurozone expressed their concern in a communication regarding the plans, based on which the members of the eurozone would set up separate consultation mechanisms. The countries outside the eurozone do not accept that the Member States using the euro should adopt economic or social-policy decisions which would be binding on all EU Member States, he pointed out.

As the State Secretary informed MTI, the parties also discussed issues of energy cooperation, and agreed that an energy union may be implemented if the connections are built which will permit all 28 Member States to have equal access to the various energy markets and sources.

Mr Takács finally mentioned that Hungary chairs the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) this year, and he therefore also opened a Holocaust conference on the occasion of his visit to Copenhagen.

(Prime Minister's Office/MTI)