Szijjarto urges to expand EU with Western Balkans, not Ukraine

Hungary advocates further expansion of the European Union, but this process must cover the Western Balkan states, not Ukraine, the Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister of Hungary, Peter Szijjarto, said during a meeting of the EU General Affairs Council in Brussels, reported from TASS.

Szijjarto noted that he "very rarely attends meetings of this kind,” which usually take place at the level of ministers for European affairs, but this time he made an exception "because the expansion of the European Union is on the agenda.” Hungary supports the process, but warns that it "must be based on the results shown by other countries, and not on artificial tactical considerations." Therefore, the Hungarian minister explained that the EU should accept the states of the Western Balkans into its ranks, and not Ukraine, which is not ready for this.

"It would be irresponsible to begin accession negotiations with Ukraine because the European Commission has failed to adequately prepare for them. Neither the European Union nor Ukraine are ready for mutually beneficial, well-structured accession negotiations. At the same time, the Western Balkan states have been waiting for this for many years. They are sufficiently prepared, so it is simply incomprehensible why some EU countries are blocking progress in this matter,” Szijjarto said.

The minister added that "a big battle is expected” on these issues at the meeting of the EU General Affairs Council. Five countries of the Western Balkans - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia - have the status of official candidates for EU accession.

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