“The period since the Paris attacks two years ago has made it clear that if we do not protect ourselves, then the terrorists will destroy our European culture and civilisation”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó declared in the recess of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
At his press conference, the Minister stressed that on 13 November 2015 “reality kicked down out door with ruthless brutality”. He said that events had made it clear that “illegal immigration is endangering our culture and our traditions, and the terrorism that goes hand-in-hand with immigration poses a fundamental threat to our security”.
Mr. Szijjártó highlighted the fact that the Paris terrorist attack that claimed 130 lives was committed by people “who either arrived in Europe as illegal immigrants themselves, or had arrived earlier, but could not or did not want to become integrated”.
“Security threats are steadily increasing in the immigrant countries (…) but we do not want to be an immigrant country, we want to protect ourselves and we will do so”, the Hungarian Foreign Minister said.
“It is sad that it would seem that according to the latest expectations ‘we should be the ones to adapt to the new arrivals’ rather than the other way around”, he said, adding that the Hungarian Government regards the fact that even the removal of Christian symbols from certain public areas is being ordered as both incomprehensible and unacceptable.
The Minister also spoke about the EU-African Union summit which is due to take place in late November, stressing that tens of millions of people are on the move in Africa and huge masses of desperate people are searching for a better and safer life, and stopping the causes of migration require the stabilisation of the continent’s economic and political situation.
“European security begins in Africa”, he emphasised.
As he explained, this is why Hungary is supporting plans for African countries to also be the targets of EU economic development and investment policy. “However, when drawing up these programmes it is extremely important that funding is tied to strict conditions” he pointed out.
In closing, Mr. Szijjártó declared: “Hungary expects Ukraine to bring nationalist group, such as the one whose members ripped down the Hungarian flag from outside the Town Hall in Beregszász (Berehove) over the weekend, to heel”.
He told reporters that the Ministry had summoned Ukraine’s Ambassador to Budapest with relation to the incident so that they can protest against the event “with suitable firmness and determination”.
Mr Szijjártó also declared that such incidents are not tolerated in “a properly operating country that wishes to achieve European integration”, and the perpetrators must be apprehended and called to account as soon as possible.