“The terrorist attack was not directed against Brussels, but against the EU, and this is why precautions, vigilance and all possible security measures are warranted”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said on Thursday in Budapest.
“The Hungarian Government is responsible for the safety of the Hungarian people, and accordingly all measures to combat terrorism are justified, necessary and our duty to perform”, the Minister stressed at a press conference.
The Belgian authorities are still unable to provide detailed data on the identity and nationality of the deceased, and so the official information continues to be that two Hungarian nationals were injured in the attack, he continued.
One of the injured is a woman who was wounded at the airport, although contrary to certain reports she does not work at the airport but was just about to travel from there. She works for a Brussels-based company and was taken to a nearby hospital where she underwent surgery and her condition is being kept under observation. The other is an employee of Hungary’s permanent representation to the EU and was injured at the underground station. He is being treated in a Brussels hospital and is in a serious but stable condition; it is hoped he will recover, but this is expected to take some time, Mr. Szijjártó explained.
The Hungarian Embassy is in continuous contact with the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the crisis centre set up by the Belgian Ministry of Interior, but they too are awaiting further information from the Belgian investigation authorities, so we have no detailed information about the identity or nationality of the victims for the time being, he said.
The events will hopefully serve as a wake-up call for “hypocritical European politics”, that the uncontrolled wave of immigration is increasing the terrorist threat to the continent and reducing public safety, the Foreign Minister stressed. The events also cast a shadow on previously much-praised integration results, because in many cases the processes aimed at the European integration of people who had previously emigrated to Europe have failed, and this is something that must be accepted, he stated, adding that we don’t want parallel societies in Europe; places that even the police are reluctant to enter.
The flow of information between European security services must be improved. We have entered a new era: the terrorist threat is here with us in our everyday lives, Mr. Szijjártó said.
The Foreign Minister recommended that air passengers arrive at the airport a little earlier than usual in view of the heightened security and register their travel plans on the consular services website prior to departure.