Promoting the Euro-Atlantic integration is a strategic interest for Hungary for historical reasons and based on our historical experiences, Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén said at the plenary meeting of the 2015 Spring Session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in the Parliament Building on Monday.

The Deputy Prime Minister stated: there is full consensus spanning multiple terms of government on this issue. Hungary has consistently supported the related NATO and EU policies ever since its accession to NATO and the EU.

Mr Semjén stressed that the integration of the region is also key to the enforcement of minority rights which are a particular priority for Hungary.

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The Deputy Prime Minister also pointed out that the tragic and disconcerting events which have recently occurred in Macedonia also confirm that NATO’s attention and commitment to the region cannot abate; even the slightest appearance of diminished attention is to be avoided.

Mr Semjén takes the view that this underlines the need for maintaining NATO’s enlargement perspective. He reiterated that the NATO summits held in recent years have all demonstrated full commitment to the continuation of NATO’s “open door policy”. Heads of States and Prime Ministers last confirmed this commitment last autumn in Wales, where they set the task for the Foreign ministers of Member States to look into the possibility of inviting Montenegro, the clear favourite among aspirant countries, in December 2015.

Zsolt Semjén pointed out that Hungary regards Montenegro as sufficiently prepared to join. Its invitation to the organisation may have a stimulating effect on the other aspirant countries as well in their efforts to meet the conditions of NATO membership within the shortest possible time, the Deputy Prime Minister said. In his view, this clearly reflects the unchanged Hungarian position: aspirant countries should be invited on the basis of their individual merits and performance so that those who are better-prepared to join should not wait for those who are less advanced in their preparations.

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At the same time, the Deputy Prime Minister also highlighted that the aspirant countries themselves should make progress within the shortest possible time in the implementation of the reforms necessary for their invitation, with a view to joining the organisation. In addition to Montenegro, these countries include Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia and Macedonia.

Mr Semjén reiterated that Hungary considers it a fundamental principle arising from international law that it is each country’s sovereign decision to select the core values of its existence, to guide its own fate, and to decide whether or not to join NATO.

He also told his audience that the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers was held last week in Turkey where, in the spirit of the principle mentioned, the Hungarian party repeatedly drew attention to the importance of enlargement.

“We are convinced that the decision to be made in December this year would amply demonstrate the authenticity of the much-publicised perspective of Euro-Atlantic integration vis-à-vis all stakeholders and the outside world. The enlargement decision is also important with a view to maintaining our commitment to reforms”, Zsolt Semjén said, adding that this issue cannot be removed from the organisation’s agenda.

Mr Semjén stressed: we are well aware that the Member States in favour of enlargement have  much to do yet in the way of building a full consensus, and so do the aspirant countries in the fulfilment of the relevant criteria. The Deputy Prime Minister promised that Hungary will continue to consistently support the enlargement efforts both under the auspices of NATO and on a bilateral basis.

Mr János Latorcai, Deputy Speaker of Parliament said that in 1949, upon the foundation of the organisation, it was the spread of communism that called forth the need for collective defence based on the foundations of solidarity. We are faced with different challenges today which we must rise to with equally effective answers, but solidarity continues to remain at the centre of these.

The Deputy Speaker said that, also today, solidarity is the pledge of the success of NATO. We must express solidarity with the Member States which perceive being exposed to direct threats, be those the Baltic States or Poland, and whether on account of the south-eastern spread of radicalism, or due to the flood of asylum-seekers which the South- and Central-European allies – including Hungary which is also facing the challenge – are unable to manage without international efforts.

Mr Latorcai remarked that the migration situation of the Mediterranean region is alarming, and we must be sensitive to this problem as well. He added that in every instance the source of the problem must be treated; we must therefore provide help for the inoperational states in some parts of North-Africa and the Middle-East as this may prevent the flood of economic migration which has a harmful effect on Europe. At the same time, the Deputy Speaker drew attention to the need for the development and implementation of a detailed and thoroughly-planned asylum-seeker policy.

He indicated that Hungary supports NATO’s policy related to Russia.

In the context of the threats coming from the East, Mr Latorcai said in confirmation of the speaker before that NATO must give adequate and firm answers to these threats. Hungary is fully supportive of the countries most affected, pays close attention to the crisis in Ukraine, and provides assistance with and supports the development and democratic reforms of Ukraine in a number of ways. The protection of the rights of minorities is an important part of this, the Vice-Speaker of Parliament stated.

(Prime Minister's Office, MTI)