Denmark is an important ally of Hungary within the European Union and NATO, and there are “no real disputes” between the two countries, Hungary’s foreign minister told reporters after talks with his Danish counterpart on Tuesday.
Péter Szijjártó said that both countries seek to enhance the EU’s competitiveness and restore security in Europe. “It is clear that we have more points of agreement than disagreement,” Szijjarto said, adding that dialogue on the two countries’ disagreements had always been conducted “within the framework of mutual respect”.
Szijjártó stressed that Hungary would not support the EU’s mandatory migrant quota scheme under any circumstances, arguing that such a plan would be equivalent to an “invitation” to migrants headed for Europe and would also strengthen the “business model” of human smugglers.
Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelson stressed the need to defend the Schengen borders and find appropriate ways for halting illegal migration and human smuggling. He said it was important to ensure that the rules of law and order remain intact and that prior international agreements are not undermined. He added that all EU member states should insist that the bloc’s basic principles are respected.
As regards economic ties, Péter Szijjártó called Denmark an important economic partner for Hungary. He noted that bilateral trade turnover exceeded one billion euros last year, adding that turnover was up 8 percent over the first five months of 2017. Of the 150 Danish companies employing over 10,000 people in Hungary, three have signed strategic partnership agreements with the Hungarian government, he said.
via MTI; photo: Szilárd Koszticsák – MTI