Szijjarto calls EU expansion indispensable for strong Europe

Chisinau, September 1 (MTI) – European Union expansion is indispensable for Europe to be strong, foreign ministry state secretary Peter Szijjarto told a meeting of EU diplomatic leaders on Monday.

Addressing a meeting in Chisinau, held in support of Moldova’s European integration, Szijjarto said that any delays or raising obstacles to expansion go against the interest of the EU.

“Changes in world politics and economy have caused the European Union to lose much of its competitiveness and seclusion is the wrong response. In this situation, EU expansion must be accelerated in order to recover the lost competitiveness,” he said.

Szijjarto said the EU’s Eastern Partnership programme should strengthened. The success of this programme lies in Hungary’s basic interest as the countries involved in it are targets of Hungary’s “opening to the east” foreign trade strategy, and their European integration would give impetus to economic and trade cooperation.

Szijjarto, who also heads the Hungarian-Moldovan economic mixed committee, held talks with deputy minister of economy Octavian Calmic and agreed with him to call a meeting of the committee for September 25 and 26.

Hungarian exports to Eastern Partnership members Moldova, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Belarus and Ukraine increased by 13.6 percent to above 3 billion dollars last year and further significant growth is expected as the integration of these countries progresses. Pharmaceuticals played an important role in Hungarian-Moldovan economic and trade cooperation last year which exceeded 120 million dollars.

Moldova signed an association and free trade agreement with the EU on June 27, to be ratified by the member states.

Photo: MTI/Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters