EU Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Brussels Reflects New Realities

Following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto held a press briefing, addressing topics such as the Russia-Ukraine war, the situation in the Middle East, future cooperation with prospective EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, and the status of Hungarian commissioner-designate Oliver Varhelyi.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto (Photo: MTI/Boglarka Bodnar)

Channels of dialogue with Israel must be kept open

FM Szijjarto voiced strong criticism regarding a fresh proposal to suspend political dialogue with Israel, arguing that such a move would deepen rather than resolve the conflict in the Middle East.

This would be akin to repeating an already failed strategy, hoping that it might fail again,

– he said, referring to the EU’s approach to the Ukraine war, where Brussels opted to shut down diplomatic channels instead of conducting constructive dialogue, employing an unsuccessful strategy. 

He warned that suspending political dialogue with Israel would undermine the EU’s ability to contribute to a peaceful resolution of the Middle East crisis. “This would not only bring human suffering, but also severely destabilize global security,” Mr. Szijjarto cautioned.

He reaffirmed the Hungarian government’s position that preserving diplomatic channels is essential for achieving peace and that Hungary strongly opposes the suspension of dialogue with Israel.

The situation of Oliver Varhelyi

FM Szijjarto also harshly criticized the European Parliament for its handling of Oliver Varhelyi’s hearing as commissioner-designate, describing the process as a politically motivated attack against the Hungarian nominee and, more broadly, against governments aligned with the Patriots for Europe group.

This is nothing more than a pathetic political circus targeting Mr. Varhelyi simply because he's the nominee of a government that belongs to the Patriots for Europe group,

– he said.

According to Mr. Szijjarto, Brussels' approach highlights the peculiar nature of European parliamentary democracy. “The third-largest parliamentary group and the Patriots have been excluded from all positions in the European Parliament. This is a disgrace to democracy in Brussels and Strasbourg,” - he stated.

Drawing a comparison between Hungarian and European parliamentary practices, he asked whether the Hungarian model was perhaps overly lenient toward the opposition. 

In the Hungarian parliament, the opposition holds positions such as deputy house speakers and committee vice chairmen. However, in Brussels and Strasbourg, the opposition faces discrimination, with no opportunities granted for participation in parliamentary work-sharing,

– he emphasized.

Finally, Mr. Szijjarto sharply criticized the EU’s health policy. "It’s time for the EU to move its health policy beyond ordering vaccines that never arrived via SMS, and instead focus on building real capabilities. If future pandemics arise, Europe must respond faster and more effectively than it has in recent years," he concluded.

Cover Photo: Peter Szijjarto (Photo Credit: MTI/Boglarka Bodnar)