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Hungary in agreement with Italy on migrant crisis

Hungary's FM said it should be made clear that if someone gets on a human smuggler’s boat in Africa, it does not automatically mean that he or she can get off in Europe

Hungary’s foreign minister has made an official visit to Milan, Italy to build relations with the nation.

Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said he was in agreement with Attilio Fontana, president of the Italian region of Lombardy and a member of the ruling Lega Lombarda party, about migration issues.

During a meeting early on Wednesday evening, Minister Szijjártó said they had been in agreement that only those migrants should be allowed entry to Europe that arrive legally and illegal migrants should be kept outside the continent.

The minister added that the leaders of Lombardy precisely understand the problem of migration, considering that 450,000-500,000 illegal migrants are staying in the region. As a result, he said they were in agreement that after the route of migration is closed on land, the possibility of migration over the sea must also be prevented.

Minister Szijjártó assured Fontana that Hungary agreed with Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini in that nobody should be encouraged to set off to Europe risking their lives over the sea. It should be made clear that if someone gets on a human smuggler’s boat in Africa, it does not automatically mean that he or she can get off in Europe, he added.

On another note, the minister pointed out that Lombardy is an engine of economic growth in Italy considering that 22 percent of the country’s GDP is produced in the region. He said the Hungarian government agreed with four Italian companies about investment totaling 43 billion HUF (133m EUR). The companies will invest in energy, food industry and logistics in Győr-Moson-Sopron County, Zala County, Pest County and Csongrád County.