It is a downright lie that Croatia transported the masses of migrants directly to Hungarian territory, accompanied by Croatian police, with the approval of the Hungarian Government. The Croatian Prime Minister has since admitted this, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade said on Saturday afternoon at his press conference held in front of the Townhall of Dunakeszi.
Mr Szijjártó described the incident as “shameless conduct”, and a gross violation of Hungary’s sovereignty. He takes the view that as a result Croatia has “terminated” cooperation not only with Hungary but with the whole of Europe.
The Croatians lied to the faces of the Hungarian and European people as well. Instead of taking care of the migrants, they “poured them onto Hungary” without registration, Mr Szijjártó said.
The Minister pointed out describing foreign and diplomatic relations between the two countries and the circumstances under which the migrants were “poured onto us” that, according to a former claim of the Croatian Government, the Croatian and Hungarian interior ministers agreed on the transportation of the migrants to Hungary.
They later made reference to a police agreement, but neither version is true. Minister of Interior Sándor Pintér did not agree on anything with the Croatian interior minister, Mr Szijjártó pointed out.
By virtue of the fact that the Croats - and they are not the only ones – defy EU regulations, it has been confirmed once again: Hungary is on its own, but in spite of this, “we are going to protect the borders of Hungary and the Schengen border”, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade stressed, taking the view that Hungarian-Croatian relations, which had been at a low point already, deteriorated even further, and there is no hope for change until the parliamentary elections to be held there.
The Minister said regarding Hungarian-Serbian relations: the border is open at Ásotthalom, and the two interior ministers will consult regarding the details of the opening of the motorway leading to Serbia on Sunday, as expected, subject to the stipulation on the Hungarian side that the Serbs cannot divert any further migration pressure onto Hungary.
In answer to a journalist’s question regarding the overly tough tone which the Foreign Minister appears to have taken vis-à-vis his foreign partners in the last few days, and the fact that the Minister summons ambassadors to the Ministry one by one, Mr Szijjártó stated: in this situation, there is no room for diplomatic sophistication.
“I am going to take just as tough a tone” in every instance when we are subjected to unfair attacks. Also in the future, we shall submit a letter of protest to the foreign ministries of the countries concerned in every similar instance, he added.
In answer to another question, Mr Szijjártó found it incomprehensible that while the Greeks continue to claim that they are able to protect their external borders, 202,000 illegal migrants have arrived in Hungary through Greece this year to date.
In answer to the question whether the Croatian police accompanying the migrants arriving on board a train directed from Croatia to Hungary were disarmed, the Foreign Minister said: the agencies responsible for internal affairs are investigating the incident.