Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, has called for the enlargement of the European Union to be speeded up, adding that Hungary is a staunch supporter of the European integration of the Western Balkans.
The Western Balkans has always been important to Hungary, and the ongoing war in Ukraine has made the region even more important, Minister Szijjártó told a press conference he held jointly with Staša Košarac, Bosnia’s minister for foreign trade on Friday. Peace, calm and security in the Western Balkans are in Hungary’s national interest, Szijjártó said. The best way to achieve that is EU integration and economic development, he added. “Hungary is, therefore, a committed supporter of the EU integration of the Western Balkans and also supports the region’s economic development,” he added. The minister said the “snail’s pace” of progress in EU enlargement could “easily cause instability and lead to the Western Balkans turning elsewhere”. “Unfortunately, Brussels regularly proceeds to lecture the Western Balkans instead of applying a voice of mutual respect,” Szijjártó said. “So often in Brussels, they talk about the Western Balkans instead of talking with the Western Balkans, and this is rather irresponsible.”