Two new border crossings to open in Hungary
An agreement has been signed by Hungary and Romania to open two new border crossings, between Kübekháza and Beba Veche (Óbéba), and between Magyarcsanád and Cenad (Csanád), the foreign minister said on Friday.
The ministry cited Szijjártó as telling a joint press conference with Sorin Grindeanu, the Romanian transport minister, in Timisoara (Temesvár) that the two countries were linked “by a million ties”.
“The more physical links created between each other, the better and more successful cooperation can develop,” he added.
Under the agreements, the crossing between Kübekháza and Beba Veche will be opened in two years’ time and the crossing between Magyarcsanád and Cenad will involve the reconstruction of a bridge on the Maros river which was blown up in 1940, he added.
He noted that two motorway links between Hungary and Romania are also being built, scheduled to be opened in 2025 and 2030, respectively, eventually increasing the number of crossings to 16. If Romania were allowed to join the Schengen zone, this number could increase to 26 in short order, he added.
A meeting of the two countries’ transport working teams has been called for the end of September, he said.
Szijjártó asks Austria not to block Romania’s Schengen accession
Peter Szijjártó has made a “firm request” to Austria not to block Romania’s accession to the Schengen zone.
Speaking in in Timisoara on Friday, the foreign minister told a joint press conference with Romanian Minister of Transport Sorin Grindeanu that ten roads connecting the two countries are open one day a week because Romania has been blocked from Schengen membership, the ministry said in a statement.
Szijjártó said he “firmly asks our Austrian friends” not to “obstruct Romania’s accession” to Schengen in the autumn and the decision should be based on facts.
Hungary’s national interest was for Romania to join Schengen as soon as possible, he added.
“Romania is our third most important export market and a popular investment location for Hungarian capital,” he said, adding that national minorities also live in each other’s territory.
“It’s time for Romania, let our Austrian friends not get in the way!” – Szijjártó writes:
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