Italy, Hungary migration policies ‘same in many respects’, says Hungarian FM

The Italian and Hungarian governments’ policies on migration are identical on a multitude of points, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Thursday after meeting Italian counterpart Enzo Moavero Milanesi.

“The Hungarian government cooperates with everybody who seeks to stop illegal migration and prioritises border protection,” Szijjártó told MTI after his meeting.

Hungary maintains its standpoint that migrants should not be distributed among EU countries but should be prevented from coming to Europe.

The position of the new Italian government and the new Italian Interior Minister, Matteo Salvini, coincides with the Hungarian government’s in many ways, he said. “We agreed that the root causes [of migration] must be addressed … and entering Europe must be done according to European rules.”

Szijjártó said that

Milanesi had underlined Hungary’s view that border protection trumped all other issues in terms of managing the migration crisis, and that the EU should again assert its ability to protect its own borders.

Australia, he added, has already shown that maritime borders can be protected.