Peace and stability in the Western Balkans is in Hungary s interest and the region s European integration could provide the most obvious guarantee, Hungarian Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Peter Szijjarto said, after talks with Djordje Radulovic, Montenegro s freign minister.

The politician emphasized that the Western Balkan region is one of the focuses of Hungary s foreign policy. Located in the vicinity, Hungary knows the difference between if peace, stability, order and development prevail in the region, or its opposite.

Hungary strongly supports the European integration of the Western Balkans, and this is also in the interest of the EU, Mr Szijjarto said, noting that NATO has made more progress in terms of integrating the Western Balkans than the EU.

If the Western Balkan region is weak, illegal migrants arriving and gathering there will soon set out towards Hungary s southern border. Therefore, strengthening and integrating the region also constitute a security issue, the Hungarian foreign minister has said.

Speaking about the economy, Mr Szijjarto noted that the EU is facing a difficult recovery period with serious economic consequences to be tackled in the post-pandemic period. 

The larger Europe s free trade zone and single market is and the more investment and export opportunities it has, the quicker and more successful the economic recovery can be, he pointed out.

Hungary is doing its best to support the European integration process, and Montenegro should already be in the EU, Hungary s FM said, adding that all accession chapters have been opened and they are asking the EU s Portuguese presidency to speed up the accession talks.

Djordje Radulovic emphasized that Hungary and Montenegro continue to have excellent relations and that his country was grateful for Hungary s ongoing support in terms of the EU s Western Balkan enlargement. Montenegro wants to join the EU as soon as possible, he added.

He also welcomed the fact that Hungary provides help for the achievement of Montenegro s economic goals and in tackling the economic fallot of the pandemic. They agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fields of economy, tourism, health, security and education, he added.

Prior to their joint press briefing, the two ministers signed a letter of intent on cooperation under the Stipendium Hungaricum programme.