FM Szijjarto slams French foreign minister’s remarks on Hungary border closure

Budapest, August 31 (MTI) – Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said that it was “shocking and perplexing” that French counterpart Laurent Fabius criticised Hungary for its border closure and added that France’s charge d’affaires has been summoned to the foreign ministry for Monday.

Szijjarto told MTI late on Sunday that some people in Europe still cannot seem to understand that Hungary is under dramatic pressure by migration from the Western Balkans.

A dramatic situation can develop in Hungary by the end of the year if the government fails to act now, he said. Annual statistics show that the same number of migrants are expected to enter Hungary after October as before, he added.

It is most important to keep Schengen rules that clearly define each country’s obligations and these include protecting the external borders of Hungary and the European Union, Szijjarto said. That’s just what Hungary is doing, meeting its EU obligations, he added.

He said the lack of strategy that characterises EU politics in connection with migration could have a dramatic effect on the continent and “instead of passing baseless cricitism (…) we should focus on finding a joint solution for Europe.”

Hungary has summoned France’s charge d’affaires to the foreign ministry to officially present the Hungarian government’s position. Szijjarto said he would also personally discuss this issue with his French counterpart at the upcoming meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.

Fabius said in an interview with Europe 1 commercial radio, I-Tele news channel and French daily Le Monde that the behaviour of countries in eastern Europe was “scandalous” in connection with migration and he especially criticised Hungary for the border closure. He said it demonstrated that Hungary did not respect common European values.

Photo: MTI

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters