Hungarian Foreign Minister Says Western Balkans More Prepared to Join EU Than Ukraine
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BUDAPEST (Sputnik) - Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Tuesday it was discriminatory that the European Union was delaying the accession of Western Balkan countries but fast-tracking Ukraine, despite the latter being less prepared.
"It would be irresponsible to start accession talks with Ukraine as the European Commission has not made adequate preparations. Neither the EU nor Ukraine is ready for a mutually beneficial and well-structured start of accession negotiations. The Western Balkan countries, on the other hand, have been waiting for many years and are quite prepared, so it is simply incomprehensible why some member states are blocking progress in their case," Szijjarto wrote on social media.
He added that the countries opposing the Western Balkan states' accession have been prevailing in the EU recently. However, Hungary is among the proponents of the EU's expansion and "deems unacceptable the discrimination of the Western Balkans."
"The EU really needs the impetus and freshness that the Western Balkan countries would bring us. The accession process should evolve based on country-specific results, not on artificial, tactical criteria," the Hungarian top diplomat added.
Last week, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that Budapest proposed not to include in the agenda of the EU's December 14-15 summit the vote to launch accession talks with Ukraine as it was already clear that no consensus would be found. He added that Ukraine's membership could be discussed in five to 10 years from now and on a condition that a strategic partnership agreement is signed with the country.
8 December 2023, 04:48 GMT
With regard to the Western balkans, Orban has said that their accession was a "vital" interest for Budapest because it would solve the problems of illegal migration and energy supply.
