Hungarian FM discusses fight against persecution of Christians, causes of migration in Italy

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó discussed joint action against the persecution of Christians and the causes of migration with his Italian counterpart Angelino Alfano in Milan on Thursday. 

The ministers agreed that Italy and Hungary will work closely together on helping persecuted Christian communities. The Italian foreign ministry includes a division that monitors the situation of minorities and the Hungarian ministry includes a state secretariat office to fight the persecution of Christians, so it has been agreed that these institutions will work together, Szijjártó told MTI.

Italy and Hungary will coordinate their activities in Iraq,

where both countries are represented by offering military and humanitarian support, and joint projects will be carried out to support Christian communities there, he said.

Concerning migration the sides were in agreement that the causes need to be eradicated, and security and economic development must be guaranteed to the regions and countries where currently most illegal migrants set out from. Italy and Hungary will work together to help the success of schemes that were launched with this purpose, Szijjártó said.

Alfano said that despite differences in opinion between Hungary and Italy regarding certain aspects of migration, he had always respected Hungary’s sincerity and the fact that Hungary made its position clear right from the start unlike some other countries that “line up in their rhetoric” in their support of the European Union’s migration policy but hardly fulfil their obligations, Szijjártó said.

Szijjártó also said that

Italy is a G7 country and has one of the most developed economies in the world. 

“Considering this, we talk unreasonably little about the fact that it is our 5th largest trading partner,” he added.

Bilateral trade increased by 14 percent in the first seven months of this year compared with the same period of last year and

Italy is the 7th most important investor in Hungary,

Szijjártó said.

Italian companies continually increase investment in Hungary, especially in agriculture, the machine industry and renewable energy, he added.

Photo: MTI

Source: MTI