Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó discussed joint action against illegal migration, energy security, and the state of Lake Fertő with Burgenland Governor Hans Peter Doskozil on Friday.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó received Hans Peter Doskozil, the governor of Burgenland, in his office on Friday. (Pictured above). After their negotiations, the parties signed a memorandum of understanding on the further development of cross-border cooperation between our country and Burgenland.
At the joint press conference, Szijjártó stated that "we are living in extraordinary, not normal times", which increases the value of good relations with our neighbors. In the issue of border protection, he called it important that those who cross the border legally can travel smoothly, but that those who do so illegally should be stopped. The Hungarian minister called illegal migration a common challenge and warned that the impending global food crisis could put our country's southern border under unprecedented pressure.
He emphasized that Hungary is doing everything to protect itself, and thus Austria and Europe as well. He noted that he is doing this also in light of the fact that the EU support received for border protection is only two percent.
Doskozil explained that the war creates challenges for Europe that one state or region cannot cope with alone. Among them, he mentioned the issue of rising energy prices. The head of the province of Burgenland emphasized that there is agreement between our country and Austria on the essential issues, they speak as equal parties and show understanding regarding what principled decisions the other has to make.
Both politicians emphasized the issue of the water level of Lake Fertő. ( We also reported on this here.)
a his trip to Moscow on Thursday , Péter Szijjártó reminded that the natural gas reservoirs in Hungary are 27.3 percent full, which would be considered safe in a normal situation, "but these are not normal times", which is why the government decided to buy 700 million cubic meters of natural gas from the market. He pointed out that it is impossible to procure such a quantity without Russian resources.
He said that the government will wait for the detailed written information and then give an opinion on the proposals from Brussels regarding the mandatory reduction of consumption and the sharing of gas capacities. ( this article to their attention.)
He noted that the leaders of Western Europe could have been more modest in the recent period on the subject of independence from Russian energy, since it is a "physical question" whether there is natural gas or not, you cannot inflate communication balloons forever, sooner or later "the moment of truth will come ". "In recent months, I have heard from leading Western European politicians that they have already solved everything (...), they got rid of their dependence on Russia (...), so why the alarm?" he said.
The social democrat Hans Peter Doskozil was previously the defense minister of Austria and the police chief of the province bordering our country. stood in favor of border protection, the closing of the Mediterranean route, and the suppression of illegal immigration . In 2019, it was also received , and they expressed a similar opinion regarding migration.
In recent weeks, the Austrian press has been writing more and more about the increase in illegal migration and the pressure on the southern border of our country. The fact that recently two groups of migrants shot at each other in the Sabtka forest, and that the Serbian police raided several towns seized three machine guns, a rifle, four pistols, 12 different knives, as well as machetes, swords, boxing gloves, and 182 pieces of ammunition of different calibers were seized.
The full article of Magyar Hírlap can be read here .
Author: Mariann Őry
Picture: Róbert Hegedűs
