Hungarian FM, Croatian counterpart discuss strengthening ties

Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s foreign minister, on Friday praised Hungary’s ties with Croatia, saying that the two countries are allies in many strategic issues, take an almost identical approach to several major challenges and rely on each other in crucial problems.

Speaking at a press conference after talks with Gordan Grlic Radman, the Croatian minister for foreign and EU affairs, Szijjártó noted that certain issues, however, cast a shadow on bilateral relations.

Croatia and Hungary continue to press for a focus on border protection in European migration policy, and vindicate themselves the right to decide “whom to allow into the country and whom they want to live together with”.

Both countries are “loud and active promoters” of the Western Balkan states’ accession to the European Union, Szijjártó noted, and see the enlargement as a measure with political, economic and security benefits.

Regarding energy security, Szijjártó said Hungary had proposed improving the region’s energy supply and opening further border crossings between the countries.

A stable energy supply has always been a crucial issue in central Europe, Szijjártó said, albeit the steps taken were too slow, Szijjártó said.