Orbán: Hungary backs EU candidate status for Moldova

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán discussed the war in Ukraine and Moldova’s European integration with Natalia Gavrilita, his Moldovan counterpart, in a phone call on Thursday, the PM’s press chief said.

Orbán and Gavrilita talked about the situation in Ukraine, including the refugee crisis, noting that both of their countries neighbour Ukraine and help hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the war, Bertalan Havasi told MTI.

Orbán welcomed the Moldovan government’s plan to obtain European Union candidate country status.

Hungary will support Moldova’s EU integration throughout the path towards membership, Havasi cited the prime minister as saying.

Orbán and Gavrilita also praised their countries’ historical ties and expressed their support for further boosting bilateral economic and training cooperation, Havasi added.

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EU commisioner: EU enlargement crucial for Hungary

The European Union’s enlargement policy is a “very important dimension” for Hungary, Olivér Várhelyi,

Hungarian EU commissioner for neighbourhood policy and enlargement,

told a conference in Brussels, arguing that in neighbouring countries “challenges of peace, security, and welfare” could still lead to instability.

Referring to recent applications by Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova to join the EU, the commissioner said “these countries see the EU as a place where they could find peace, prosperity, and security”, adding that the bloc should give them that opportunity.

Várhelyi told MTI after the conference that the European Commission would respond to the three applications on Friday, and provide recommendations. Answering a question, the commissioner said that applicants must meet the EU’s Copenhagen criteria in full before accession talks are launched.

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Source: MTI