Hungary FM: Time to End 'Prank Show' and Talk Honestly About EU Enlargement

The countries of Northern and Western Europe and the Baltic states should finally stop the ongoing "prank show" and talk candidly about the issue of EU enlargement, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said in Budapest on Friday.

Timcho Mucunski of Nort Macedonia and Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto (Source: Facebook)

Mr. Szijjarto underlined that the government will do all it can to organize an intergovernmental conference with North Macedonia during Hungary's EU presidency, which could open the first chapters of accession talks.

"We also call on the European Commission to start disbursing the necessary funds for the development of North Macedonia under the so-called Reform and Growth Facility during the Hungarian presidency," he added.

He stressed that although the government in Skopje had met all the conditions laid out, the EU's fund transfers "are not always without political bias, nor are they always made on objective criteria." He also thanked the leaders of the Western Balkans for their joint letter to Oliver Varhelyi, asking Hungary's Enlargement Commissioner to continue with his work.

"So, we will see how the concept of democracy will permeate Brussels and whether the new President of the European Commission is willing to take into account the requests of the Western Balkan countries," Mr. Szijjarto emphasized.

Finally, Hungary's foreign minister touched on the issue of bilateral relations, recalling that the two countries have intensified their cooperation in support of economic reforms in North Macedonia. He noted that bilateral trade flows have increased fivefold in recent years and that 4iG, for example, has made it a priority to establish a presence in North Macedonia. "The government of Hungary continues to support domestic companies in investing in strategic areas in North Macedonia, and we are also pleased that Wizz Air is the market leader in civil aviation there," Mr. Szijjarto said. He added that the parties reaffirmed their commitment to stopping illegal immigration, which poses a fundamental threat to the security of the Western Balkans. "Brussels' approach of penalizing countries that stop illegal migrants is also a threat to the security of the Western Balkans," Hungary's foreign minister warned.

Cover photo: Timcho Mucunski of Nort Macedonia and Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto (Source: Facebook)