Following roundtable discussions on migration with ambassadors to Budapest from the countries of the Visegrád Group (V4), Minister of State for EU Affairs at the Prime Minister’s Office Szabolcs Takács said that, according to the V4, European-level cooperation is not enough: global efforts are needed to manage the problems posed by illegal migration.

The Minister of State said that a group of students at Corvinus University Budapest who are interested in foreign and security policy issues have recently founded the International Circle, at the first event of which they discussed questions related to illegal migration with V4 ambassadors. Mr. Takács also pointed out that, in addition to Hungarian and international university students, various members of the Budapest diplomatic corps and public life also attended the event.

The Minister of State pointed out that since the very beginning of the migration crisis the Visegrád countries have represented a unified stance. He said that the four countries agree that protecting external EU borders is an absolute priority; the requirements for doing so must be met. He added that Member States which are not able to do so must be provided with support. This is our joint responsibility and our joint interest, he emphasised.

Representatives from the four countries also shared the view that requirements must also be established for obtaining information on the identity of those wishing to enter Europe.

Mr. Takács said that the V4 countries are no longer alone in believing that at present a quota system is not the solution, and that such a system can only suppress the current symptoms of the migration crisis: the majority of Europe also sees this now. He emphasised that even though the migration crisis is currently a European crisis, the reasons for it are not European problems, but global ones, such as the Libyan and Syrian crises.

The Minister of State said that it is important for EU Member States and institutions to come to an agreement on what financial, technical and other types of contribution they can make to support management of these security policy issues, but he also noted that support is also needed from other sources: powers outside Europe.

(Prime Minister's Office)