Szijjártó in Bled: anyone who wants peace is immediately labeled Putin's friend

"The European Union needs rational reforms, enlargement must be treated as a top priority, and the Western Balkan states must be admitted as soon as possible"

- Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said on Tuesday at the Bled Forum in Slovenia. The event was attended by candidate countries such as Moldova, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Szijjártó said the new members would strengthen the community.

Speaking at a panel discussion, Szijjártó said that the EU is not in good shape today, as he believes it has weakened a lot in the areas of safety, as well as economic and energy security. In keeping with the familiar pattern, Szijjártó said that this was the result of either "mistaken decisions or decisions not taken".

On the war in Ukraine, Szijjártó said that "the negative consequences are particularly serious", and in addition, Hungarians are also dying in the fighting. Szijjártó said that from what he sees, in spite of this, the EU Foreign Affairs Council isn't taking a "pro-peace" stance.

“If someone stands up in favour of an immediate ceasefire and peace talks, they are immediately denounced and branded a Russian spy, a Kremlin propagandist, a friend of Putin.”

- Szijjártó complained. A year ago, at the same forum, he painted a similar picture about Hungary being the only country that wants peace.

He also pointed out that China is already stronger than the EU. It was in this context that he said that he would consider cutting the economic ties between Europe and China risky.

Speaking at the same event in Slovenia on Monday, European Council President Charles Michel said the EU must be ready to welcome new member states by 2030: "I think we must be ready for enlargement by 2030," he said. To which Szijjártó responded with:

“Yesterday we heard 2030. OK, but why not tomorrow? What is keeping us from saying that we should admit all the Western Balkan candidates to the EU now, instead of waiting until 2030?”

The Hungarian minister concluded by saying that he believes the EU would be stronger with the Western Balkans. At the end, in response to a question, Péter Szijjártó said that the European Union currently needs the Western Balkans more than the other way around, which is why making progress in the enlargement process should not be delayed. He also criticised the fact that Bulgaria and Romania were not allowed to join the Schengen area.

(MTI)