Migration must remain national competence, says Hungarian foreign minister
The Hungarian foreign minister reiterated Hungary’s position that the issue of migration must remain a national competence, during a video conference on the EU’s Cotonou agreement, on Monday.
Péter Szijjártó discussed with his Polish, Estonian and Maltese counterparts the pact the EU signed in 2000 with the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) and is currently renegotiating.
He called the chapters on migration the “most critical part” of the agreement which Szijjártó said “does not contain a word” about the security and health risks posed by migration to Europe.
“The European Commission has unfortunately taken a pro-migration position again,”
Szijjártó said, noting that it would want to promote migration from ACP countries.
“But we do not accept that others tell us whom we should allow to enter Hungary, as we do not accept the promotion of migration for labour purposes,” he said, adding that as a result millions of people would lose their jobs.
Hungary’s position is that the EU must “make clear” in the agreement that the aim is to stop migration and only those can come to Europe who observe rules, Szijjártó said.
Source: MTI