Unfortunately, the European Union has been weakening in recent times and the bloc is facing rather grave security, economic and competitiveness challenges, Hungary's Minister of Trade and Foreign Affairs Peter Szijjarto has said.
Enlargement could be a very important means of strengthening the EU. It's simple, but it's also true that the more we are, the stronger we could be. Enlargement of the European Union must start with the Western Balkans. This is a process that has been incomplete for twenty years. The place of the Western Balkans is clearly in the European Union, and accession could bring momentum and new energy, which is precisely what we need to finally make the EU strong again.
– the politician said, adding that the integration of the Western Balkans into the EU must be accelerated and completed as soon as possible.
Serbia is the key country in terms of the region. We agree with the European Commission's statement that Serbia has made significant progress in the integration process, and that the new accession chapters should be opened as soon as possible and completed as swiftly as possible,
– the foreign minister added, welcoming the fact that Georgia has been granted candidate status. Mr Szijjarto also underlined that the European Commission's statement that Ukraine has failed to fulfill the conditions set for its membership candidacy - outlined in advance - was correct.
The way in which Ukraine violates the most basic rules of the EU in the areas of national community and ethnic minority rights is particularly blatant. And since, according to the European Commission's assessment, Ukraine has not fulfilled its prescribed membership conditions either, we don't think that any further progress in the accession talks with Ukraine is timely.
– said the Hungary's foreign minister explained, adding that holding a strategic debate on this issue would be appropriate.
