Hungarian FM: Hindering Western Balkans’ EU integration is a security risk

While delaying the enlargement of the European Union in the Western Balkans was no more than “missed opportunities” earlier, in view of the Ukraine war it now “poses a security risk”, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in Montenegro on Friday.

Integrating the Western Balkans is crucial for reinforcing an ailing Europe, the foreign ministry cited Szijjártó as saying at the annual 2BS (To Be Secure) forum in Budva.

“Now the European Union is more in need of the Western Balkans than vice versa,” the minister said. Answering a question on another subject, Szijjártó said the Hungarian government did not consider funds suspended by the EU as “humanitarian aid” and  insisted that “those funds are made up of European contributions, including those of Hungarians, therefore they are partly owed to us”.

He said the funds had been suspended “purely for political reasons” rooted in “Hungary’s being successful despite opposing the mainstream on some important issues”. He also insisted that “the country could not have made its achievements if corruption were systemic”.

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Source: MTI