FM Szijjártó outraged: ‘Stop threatening, blackmailing Western Balkans’
Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, has called on the European Union to cease “threatening and blackmailing” the Western Balkans to ensure a successful integration policy.
At the joint press conference with Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik held in Banja Luka on Friday, Szijjártó noted that a priority of Hungary’s upcoming EU presidency would be to speed up the EU integration of the Western Balkans.
He said the EU needed fresh impetus and ambitions, and the Western Balkans “can provide all this”.
The minister called on the EU to speak to the region “with a respectful voice” and take the will of the people of the region and the results of elections there seriously.
Every country, he added, had the right “to decide on its own future and destiny”.
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Szijjártó said Hungary would continue to oppose any political leader elected in the Western Balkans from being placed on a sanctions list.
Also, Hungary would oppose the withdrawal of development money as this would “punish the people living here”, he added.
Meanwhile, Hungary continues to support a scheme for agricultural enterprises of Republika Srpska in view of “responsible neighborhood policy”.
Every farmer and agricultural enterprise in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, too, would benefit from this, he said. The relevant companies must use the money under the scheme to buy equipment manufactured in Hungary, he noted, so Hungarians would also benefit.
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