‘Pro-migration forces’ not to win in Budapest Process, says Hungarian FM in Brussels

“Pro-migration forces cannot win” at the Budapest Process interregional forum on migration starting in Istanbul on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said.

This process will “become the symbol for stopping pro-migration forces”, he said in Brussels on Monday, on the sidelines of a meeting of his European counterparts.

This process will “become the symbol for stopping pro-migration forces”,

Szijjártó said in Brussels on Monday, on the sidelines of a meeting of his European counterparts.

Szijjártó said that Hungary would “not lend its name” to any European-level policies that would “involve inviting any further migrants” and added that the forum would not be concluded by a joint EU statement because “it would have clearly been a document promoting migration and encouraging the opening of further migration channels”.

“We believe that a decision on migration can only be made once because if a country allows masses of migrants to enter, there is no way back,” he added.

Hungary will stick to its policy to protect the southern border with a fence even if some forces would dismantle it, Szijjártó said. One person promoting the idea is Frans Timmermans, the first vice-president of the European Commission, who visited Budapest last weekend on the invitation of the opposition Socialists, he added. (Read more here: TIMMERMANS CALLS FOR FAIR WAGES IN EU AT HUNGARIAN SOCIALIST CONGRESS)

The international coalition organised to fight the Islamic State has achieved considerable military success but the terror organisation has since changed tactics and it is now trying to send back to Europe the 5000 mercenary-terrorists who had joined the fights in the Middle East and North Africa, he said. As a consequence, the external borders should continue to be protected “extremely strictly” and the same must be applied in terms of the Western Balkans, he added.

Migration waves can destabilise not only the transit and destination countries but also the countries of origin, he said.

For this reason, the European Union should not focus on inviting the citizens of countries that are in a difficult situation but on promoting economic development which can help the native African population stay at home.

The over 50 governments and numerous international organisations involved in the Budapest Process focus on migration issues concerning the Silk Routes Region, which refers to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq and Pakistan. The forum was named after Budapest because the city hosted its first official meeting in 1993. In addition to the 52 member states, seven countries including the US have observer status. Hungary fulfils the role of co-chair and the forum has been chaired by Turkey since 2006.

Commenting on the first EU-Arab League summit to be held in Egypt on February 24-25, Szijjártó said the closing statement would make no reference to either the UN global migration compact or the refugee package. The text will clearly demonstrate the Hungarian priorities that refer to national competencies and highlight the need to fight human smuggling and illegal migration, he added.

The minister said

Hungary would give every possible assistance to improving the situation in Syria so that the refugees can return home and the pressure of migration can decrease in Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey.

Hungary has confirmed its dedication to a joint initiative with Poland to start building an orphanage with a capacity of 130 in the Syrian city of Homs. Additionally, Hungary is willing to pay the operational costs of three hospitals in Syria for one year and will provide 4 million euros support to three Syrian Christian communities, he said.

Commenting on Ukraine, he said that Hungary, Romania, Italy and Greece raised had raised minority issues at the meeting, stating that Kiev must keep its promises and comply with EU regulations. Hungary made it clear that the passing of the education law in its current form by Ukraine’s parliament would give reason for concern because it would make it impossible to use minority languages in culture, the media and public administration. The public administration reform in its current form would make political representation of minorities impossible, he added.

Source: MTI