“We have no time to spare in finding a solution to the migration crisis that is affecting Europe; Brussels’ impotence is endangering people”. Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said following today’s meeting of EU foreign ministers.
At a press conference in Brussels, Mr. Szijjártó said that the lack of effective action on the part of the EU “is also endangering those people who set out to sea very day on the Mediterranean in rubber dinghies, as well as those who live here in Europe and do not want to have to face another terrorist attack”.
“If the European Union finally decides to send a mission to protect Libya’s southern border or to reinforce the Libyan coast guard, then the Government is prepared to immediately begin talks on Hungary’s involvement. The countries of the Visegrád Group share a common standpoint on this issue”, he declared.
Mr. Szijjártó told reporters that according to conservative estimates almost a thousand immigrants are crossing Libya’s southern border on their way towards Europe every single day, while organise people smuggling is occurring on the Mediterranean, where illegal immigrants are apparently often being assisted by non-governmental organisations that are involved in sea rescue activities.
“Tens of thousands of human lives are being endangered at sea every single day, Italy has reached it maximum capacity and level of patience, on top of which Europe’s security is also worsening as a result of the crisis because of the increasing threat of terrorism”, he added.
The Minister explained the Government’s proposals for a solution, according to which we must first do away with the mandatory resettlement quota system, which is “unsuitable for doing what it was intended to so and is just making the situation worse”, smash the people smuggling networks, and prevent NGOs from “intentionally of unwittingly facilitating the goals of people smugglers”. In addition, we must under all circumstances prevent chips carrying illegal immigrants from leaving the shores of Libya or at least the country’s territorial waters, he stressed.
The Minister pointed out that the security situation in Europe could be significantly improved if the EU were to launch an operation to support the Libyan coast guard and to assist the protection of Libya’s southern border based on the earlier German-Italian proposal, or if it established receiving stations in the North African country, where decisions on who is eligible for asylum could be made in European conditions and according to European law.
(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/MTI)
