Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foregin Affairs and Trade, said on the sidelines of a meeting of EU foreign ministers that even though Hungary and Poland’s aid and assistance to refugees was recognized, EU funds were being withheld from both countries.
According to MTI, Minister Szijjártó said “unity in terms of probable EU sanctions to be imposed on Russian energy supplies or stopping them will most certainly not be reached”. He added that sanctions on energy supply would constitute a red line for Hungary. “We are not going to support sanctions that might pose a risk to Hungary’s energy supplies,” the minister said. Although the latest package of sanctions discussed does not affect gas deliveries from Russia, it makes it more difficult for EU candidate member Serbia to guarantee its energy supply, he said. Had the EU been quicker in terms of enlargement and admitted the western Balkans countries, including Serbia, this would no longer be a problem, he said. Minister Szijjártó also said that Hungary, fulfilling the request of Transcarpathia’s governor, would be prepared to grant safe haven to refugees fleeing war and arriving from Ukraine’s inner territories.
Photo credit: Facebook/Szijjártó Péter