A stable Turkey is in the interest of Europe and Hungary since it is key in enforcing the implementation of the EU-Turkish migration deal, the Hungarian foreign minister said late on Sunday, in reaction to Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s outright victory in the first round of the Turkish presidential election.
Péter Szijjártó welcomed Erdogan’s re-election, saying it would help maintain stability in Turkey.
Stability in that country is crucial for enforcing the EU-Turkish pact, Szijjártó said. Without it, Hungary would soon be exposed to a new wave of illegal migrants arriving at its southern borders, as there is no other line of defence to prevent their inflow via the western Balkans, he told MTI.
Szijjártó said Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was the first European leader to congratulate Erdogan on his re-election by phone.
“Stability in Turkey is good news for the whole of Europe, as our continent faces countless serious challenges that can only be overcome through predictable and effective cooperation with Turkey,” Orbán wrote in his MTI letter.
Orbán reassured Erdogan that his government would continue to work to further advance bilateral economic, trade, education and cultural ties.
He expressed hope that the two countries could soon arrange the Turkish president’s previously postponed visit to Hungary.
Featured image: MTI/EPA
Source: MTI
