Hungary is committed to the Western Balkans’ EU integration, the minister of state responsible for the development and coordination of EU policies at the Prime Minister’s Office told the Hungarian news agency MTI on Tuesday.

Szabolcs Takács had talks with Serbian Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimovic who attended the conference of ambassadors organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Budapest which began on Monday.

Regarding his talks, the minister of state highlighted that the European integration of the countries of the Western Balkans region would greatly contribute to the region’s stability and European security. It is therefore extremely important that the European Union should send out a positive message to Serbia which has made the most progress in the process of integration.

He said Central Europe would also like to accelerate the EU’s Western Balkans enlargement because it may offset the EU’s loss of position due to Brexit.

The minister of state said his Serbian negotiating partner confirmed that the Western Balkans route continues to remain among the most intensive illegal routes of migration.

He stressed it is unacceptable that with the upcoming European parliamentary (EP) elections, “the Brussels pro-immigration elite seeks to mislead the public and denies evident data testifying to the pressure of migration”, while making efforts to legalise the importation of migrants into Europe.

Mr Takács took the view that the EU integration of the Western Balkans could provide a meaningful contribution to the fight against uncontrolled mass immigration, and it is therefore essential to offer this region a genuine accession prospect.

The minister of state further highlighted that Romania which currently holds the EU presidency also supports the acceleration of the enlargement process. However, the majority of Western Member States share the view of the President of the European Commission that there will be no enlargement in the near future. These countries, France and the Netherlands in particular, are spectacularly averse to enlargement, he added.

He said it is to be hoped that during the new term of European institutions a European Parliament will come into being which supports the Western Balkans. We expect the outcome of the May EP elections and the new composition of the European Commission not only to restore the balance between EU institutions and the unity of the EU, but to also boost the enlargement process, he explained.

According to Mr Takács, it is Hungary’s duty to encourage the countries at the vanguard of the process, including Serbia, and to let them know that it is worth concentrating their energy on the integration process.

(MTI)