
FM: Illegal migration can be curbed with Serbia's assistance
Hungarian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto held talks in Belgrade with several members of Serbia's government. The excellent ties between Hungary and Serbia have notched up four achievements, Mr Szijjarto told a press briefing after the meeting.
Hungary-Serbia cooperation helps fend off energy crisis
Relations between Serbia and Hungary are at a historic height, they are now part of „a strategic alliance and characterised by friendship,” Peter Szijjarto told a press conference in Belgrade. „We had to work a lot to achieve that,” the Hungarian minister for foreign affairs and trade said, adding that good relations had benefitted both Hungary and Serbia immensely, including the Hungarian community in Vojvodina and the Serbian community in Hungary.
Good relations resulted in achievements in four main areas, as highlighted by FM Szijjarto.
Firstly, the economies of Hungary and Serbia „contribute to one another’s growth very effectively”. Bilateral trade last year hit a record 4 billion euros, he pointed out. In addition, he noted two large-scale transport development projects that include the ongoing construction of the Budapest-Belgrade high-speed rail link and the revamp of the Szeged-Subotica (Szabadka) rail line. Mr Szijjarto further noted the 20 billion forint Hungarian government grant awarded to 16 Hungarian companies, creating investments worth 40 billion forints in Serbia.
The minister also called Hungary-Serbia cooperation in energy security an important achievement, without which „we would both be exposed to the supply crisis western Europe is suffering”. Hungary’s minister for foreign affairs and trade highlighted the importance of the interconnector operating between the two countries since last October. “So far Hungary has received over 700 million cubic metres of gas via that pipeline and we have been able to deliver hundreds of millions of cubic metres of gas to Serbia,” Mr Szijjarto said.
If we had given in to the threat of sanctions, if we had not insisted on our national interests and if we had not built this pipeline, the two countries would have faced serious gas supply difficulties,
he stressed.
Curbing illegal migration has been the third big achievement in terms of cooperation between Serbia and Hungary. The two countries have taken joint action to combat mounting aggression from human traffickers, the minister for foreign affairs and trade pointed out at the press briefing. He said last year 122,000 illegal migrants were stopped at Hungary’s southern border, adding that Hungary also helps Serbia to protect its southern border. As a result, fewer immigrants reach the fence on Hungary’s borders, FM Szijjarto noted.
Thanks to good neighbourly relations, the Hungarian national community in Vojvodina „enjoys the most rights” out of all the ethnic Hungarian communities abroad. Perhaps this is the biggest achievement our good relations have produced, Mr Szijjarto said, adding that Vojvodina Hungarians and Serbians in Hungary are “connected”, and both countries could grow stronger if their respective minorities did the same. The governments in Belgrade and Budapest both recognised this, he said. The big breakthrough came with the economic development programme in Vojvodina, to which President Aleksandar Vucic has also contributed as prime minister at the time. Through this programme the Hungarian government granted 60 billion forints to 14 thousand businesses in Vojvodina, resulting in investments amounting to 120 billion forints. In line with decisions taken now, 99 businesses in Vojvodina will receive a total of 26 billion forints in support, creating investments worth 60 billion forints, Mr Szijjarto highlighted.
Touching on the upcoming elections in April, Hungary’s foreign minister said if Hungary’s current government can continue its work as the outcome of the vote, Vojvodina’s economic development programme will proceed, just like all economic development programmes that help ethnic Hungarian communities in neighbouring countries.
Both Serbia and Hungary will hold elections on 3 April, Mr Szijjarto highlighted. Hungary will hold parliamentary elections while Serbia will vote in parliamentary and presidential elections. He noted that the 3 April elections had high stakes in Budapest, Belgrade, Subotica and Szentendre. Not only is the future of Hungary and Serbia at stake in the election, but also the future of Hungarians in Vojvodina and Serbs in Hungary, he added.
Hungary is Serbia’s third largest economic partner in the EU
Duringa joint press briefing with his Hungarian counterpart Mr Szijjarto, Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic emphasized that this had been the seventh meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries since December 2020. He called the two nations’ relationship friendly, adding that there was also a strategic partnership between the two states. Mr Selakovic said that he and his Hungarian colleague reviewed the opportunities for cooperation between their countries and the projects already underway. The Serbian minister noted that trade between the two countries was constantly improving, making Hungary the third largest economic partner of Serbia in the European Union, besides Germany and Italy.
Mr Selakovic also spoke about the importance of the gas pipeline built between Hungary and Serbia, and about the construction of the Belgrade-Budapest high-speed railway. The ministers also discussed regional politics and the situation of national minorities.
Hungary is Serbia’s strategic partner on the path to the EU
During his visit in Belgrade, FM Peter Szijjarto also met with Serbia’s Integration Minister Jadranka Joksimovic. They discussed Serbia’s path to the EU, bilateral relations and the possibility of integrating the entire Western Balkan region into the EU. Serbia appreciates Hungary’s consistent support for applying a new methodology during the accession talks, the ministry stated after the meeting. Serbia has made progress on the rule of law and other issues, allowing it to open Cluster 4 in late 2021, which concerns the Green Agenda and sustainable connectivity, the statement reads.
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