FM Szijjártó: Migrants arriving in Europe via new routes

Hungary is determined to take resolute action against illegal migration during its upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union, the foreign minister said on Friday, adding that new migration routes were emerging and pressure was increasing on south-eastern Europe.

Szijjártó and Greek counterpart Giorgos Gerapetritis reviewed the main challenges facing Europe, “including the most serious challenge: the growing pressure of migration”, the ministry said in a statement.

“My Greek counterpart informed me that new routes are taking shape in south-eastern Europe, including migration to Greece,” he said. “Greece faces growing pressure and new migration routes,” he added.

“This makes it all the more important for Hungary to take determined action against illegal migration during its presidency of the EU,” he said. Szijjártó said Budapest could rely on the support of Athens regarding important issues connected wit Hungary’s upcoming EU presidency.

“We were in agreement that protecting the external EU borders is vitally important, and we must not give up the basic principle of our sovereignty; only we are entitled to decide who can enter our respective countries and with whom we are willing to live together,” he said.

He also said that Hungary and Greece shared the position that security challenges facing Europe, including an escalation of the crises in Ukraine and the Middle East, must be avoided. “Preventing escalation in both armed conflicts is vitally important to both of us,” he said.

Meanwhile, Szijjártó said that like Hungary, Greece was also sensitive when it came to respecting nationality rights and specifically those of the ethnic Greek communities living beyond its borders.