Hungary will open a consular office in Malaga, says FM Szijjártó in Madrid

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó had talks with Arancha Gonzalez Laya, his Spanish counterpart, in Madrid on Wednesday.

At a joint press conference after the talks, Szijjártó said that another wave of migration could pose serious health and economic risks, and argued that the coronavirus epidemic has hit countries with poor economies, and its spread could lead to increased illegal migration.

Rooted in their geographical location,

Hungary and Spain have different positions on migration, however, there are links as well,

Szijjártó said, adding, for example, that both countries are committed to fighting humans smuggling rings.

Hungary and Spain see eye to eye concerning the principle of delivering assistance where problems arise, and will launch a shared water management project in Morocco to improve supplies for local residents, he said.

Concerning the pandemic in Europe, Szijjártó said that

“Europe must avoid getting in such a vulnerable position as in recent months, therefore some strategic capacities must be developed even if they may seem redundant in ‘peace’ times”.

Spain is Hungary’s 15th greatest trading partner, while 200 Spanish firms employ over 5,000 people in Hungary, Szijjártó said, but added that bilateral ties could offer further opportunities for cooperation.

Hungary will open a consular office in Malaga, Szijjártó announced.

Spanish FM calls for EU criteria for border reopening

Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs Arancha Gonzalez Laya on Wednesday asked for agreement within the European Union (EU) on criteria to be applied to arrivals from outside the region to stop imported COVID-19 cases, Xinhua reports.