Minister of State for EU Affairs Szabolcs Takács held talks with his Finnish counterpart Samuli Virtanen on 29 September 2016.
During the meeting the parties reviewed the current state of the European Union and the challenges is faces. With relation to migration the parties agreed that illegal immigration must be stopped and highlighted the fact that the European Union’s most important current task is to protect its external borders. Mr. Virtanen stressed: Europe cannot bear another shock similar to the one caused by the huge inflow migrants we have experienced during the past two years. According to Mr. Takács, this is one of the reasons why Sunday’s referendum is of key importance.
Concerning criticism of Hungary voiced by the interior ministers of the northern European countries, Mr. Takács explained Hungary’s standpoint on the Dublin extradition of migrants to his Finnish negotiating partner: “Hungary is unable to readmit migrants who did not enter the territory of the European Union at Hungary. According to the Dublin Regulations, EU Member States can extradite immigrants who are present on their territory illegally to the country where they first set foot on EU soil, and that country is not Hungary. Hungary cannot be penalised for conforming to EU regulations”.
In addition to the migration crisis, Mr. Takács and Mr. Virtanen also touched on several other topics including the expected repercussions of Brexit, reviewing the EU’s four-year programming period, the Russian sanctions and the European energy policy situation.
The parties agreed that the already excellent Finish-Hungarian relations must be tightened even further, for which excellent opportunities are provided by the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Finnish independence next year and the 60th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence.