“We must not forget about the other security risks the European Union faces in its neighborhood aside from the Ukrainian war,” announced the Hungarian Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister in Brussels on Tuesday during the 6th international conference on supporting the future of Syria. Péter Szijjártó told Hungarian journalists: we must prevent the European Union from facing several simultaneous security challenges at once by not delaying dealing with problems in the Middle East and North Africa.
He reminded that the 2015 migration crisis led to the formation of societies living in isolation in Western Europe, along with the increased threat of terrorism throughout the continent. Europe must do everything in its power to prevent further waves of mass migration; it is also important that Brussels not encourage migration but rather create conditions for our European neighbors so that they will not want to leave. The Minister continued: Hungary supports those EU programs that encourage people to stay in their homelands by helping to create more favorable conditions as well as those programs that help migrants return home as soon as possible.
Péter Szijjártó announced at the Brussels conference that Hungary has offered 1085 one-year, publicly funded scholarships to youth from Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq equalling HUF 3.3 billion (~ € 8.7 million). Hungary is also implementing nine development programs in Syria and countries hosting Syrian refugees worth HUF 6.3 billion (~ € 16.6 million).
The programs include hospital renovations and operations, education maintenance, and job creation that aim to establish peaceful and dignified conditions for those deprived, living there.
The Minister also announced that Hungary rejects any attempts to draw parallels or conflate the Ukrainian refugees and those entering the EU illegally from the south.
Hungary allows entry and provides aid for every refugee from Ukraine while simultaneously defending our southern border from illegal migration. The Minister explained that unlike refugees from Ukraine, illegal migrants have no right to enter Hungary. After all, they are passing through several safe countries.
The EU will not negotiate with Assad. Josep Borrell, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, announced at the press conference during the Brussels VI Conference: "Supporting the future of Syria and the region” that the European Commission is set to spend € 1 billion this year and another € 1.56 billion by 2023 to support Syrians. He explained that this aid is for both the refugees along with the countries and organizations that are accommodating them; the rest, among other things, is dedicated to restarting life in Syria after the crisis. Borrell confirmed that the EU will not support rebuilding Syria until a real, comprehensive political transition begins in the country. He added that this is not the time for the EU to normalize relations with the regime led by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who requires further political pressure according to Borrell.
Photo: Péter Szijjártó (Photo CRedit: Facebook)
