During an interview with France24 television, Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said participants in last week's European Union summit reached "the best deal" concerning the community's pandemic recovery package.
“Our primary goal was that these European resources should be distributed fairly and on objective criteria. Giving in to any blackmail or some countries pressing others and setting subjective criteria were out of the question,” the minister said. “Tying access to community funds to some criteria for certain countries is unacceptable. No member must decide whether another could have access to those funds or not.”
Answering a suggestion in regard to solidarity in distributing the funds could be a first step towards a federal Europe, Minister Szijjártó said “we do not believe in the ideal which could be called United States of Europe. The EU could only be strong if its members are strong and insist on their identity, as well as their religious and cultural heritage”.
In reply to a question, Minister Szijjártó called Dutch PM Mark Rutte “a pro-immigration” politician, who “hates our sharply anti-migration policy”.
Finally, concerning a possible second wave of the coronavirus epidemic, he said that Hungary has been “cautious” in allowing citizens of countries outside the EU to enter, but entry is free for all European citizens.
Photo credit: Origo