Hungarian FM: Sovereignty of foreign policy must be maintained

Europe is facing some serious security challenges, and in order to manage the situation effectively, the sovereignty of foreign policy must be maintained, the foreign minister said on Monday.

Péter Szijjártó said during a hearing by parliament’s foreign affairs committee that national interests must be enforced in the face of all foreign attempts at pressurising Hungary.

Europe is in the worst security situation since the end of the Cold War, with wars under way on the continent and in its direct vicinity, adding to a migration crisis that started eight years ago, he said.

“Hungary’s foreign policy strategy must be enforced successfully in this security context. We have not given up any of its sovereignty in the past and we will refuse to give up any of it also in the future,” he added.

Among the security challenges he firstly cited the armed conflict in Ukraine, stating that Europe’s strategy had failed, “Russia could not be brought to its knee and we are not getting any closer to peace” while the measures introduced have harmed the member states’ competitiveness.

He welcomed the majority of NATO states “demonstrating a responsible behaviour” by maintaining the decision that all efforts must be made to avoid direct confrontation with Russia which could carry the risk of a third world war.

He said the reform proposals submitted to Kyiv included demonstrating respect for national minority rights, which has been initiated by Hungary. All promises made by the Ukrainian government to this effect have proven empty so far despite Hungary clealy expecting the restoration of the pre-2015 situation in terms of national minority rights, he added.

Commenting on the situation in the Middle East, he said “the brutal attacks made against Israel resulted in a counter-terrorism offensive whose success is in everyone’s interest in the world”.