Hungary FM: Claims That Benefits of Ukraine's EU Membership Trump Western Balkans Are Laughable

It is a bad joke to suggest that admitting Ukraine to the European Union would benefit the bloc more than the accession of the Western Balkan countries, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Monday in Budapest. He added that only the integration of the Western Balkans can bring the vitality and dynamism the EU desperately needs.

Hungary's Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Peter Szijjarto (Soure: Facebook)

Szijjarto also addressed the ongoing debate over the future structure of the European Union. He stressed that the Hungarian government supports an integration of strong, sovereign nation-states rather than the creation of a kind of “United States of Europe.”

The dispute between so-called sovereigntists and federalists is also reflected in the debate over the veto power held by member states. If we give up the veto, that means giving up part of our sovereignty,” he warned. “The veto guarantees that, in matters of vital importance, decisions cannot ultimately be made against national interests.

He added that attempts are already underway within the EU to bypass the veto mechanism.

“The REPowerEU regulation is a rather shameful example of this,” he said. “When Brussels or the larger member states see that there is no chance of unanimous agreement, they simply circumvent the rules,” he explained.

For that reason, we must insist on maintaining the veto, otherwise, national interests cannot be properly represented.

he concluded. 

Cover photo: Hungary's Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Peter Szijjarto (Soure: Facebook)