Hungary expects European solidarity in migration, says Foreign Minister Szijjarto

Budapest, June 25 (MTI) – Hungary is currently receiving the largest number of illegal migrants in the European Union and therefore expects solidarity and help from the EU in this issue, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Thursday.

The minister told public news channel M1 it is “unacceptable and incomprehensible” that despite the highest number of illegal migrants arriving here, attention is still focused on those crossing the Mediterranean. Hungary has repeatedly pointed out the significance of migrant routes across the Western Balkans but the EU has failed to take effective steps. It is time the EU takes this situation seriously, Szijjarto added.

The minister said Hungary has not suspended the application of international and EU rules affecting migrants but it is coping with serious technical and capacity problems considering that this year 61,000 illegal immigrants entered the country. This is why Hungary has asked its EU partners to be patient and once these technical and capacity challenges are resolved, it will again be able to fulfil the Dublin regulations.

The dispute between Hungary and the EU concerns 11 member states wanting to return 15,000 illegal migrants to Hungary. Hungary’s position is that these people first entered the EU in Greece and all illegal migrants should be returned to the country where they entered the EU, he added.

Photo: MTI

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