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After Wednesday’s cabinet meeting, a government press briefing was convened on Thursday, held by Gergely Gulyás, Minister responsible for the Prime Minister’s Office, and Government Spokesperson Eszter Vitályos. On foreign policy issues, Wednesday’s cabinet meeting covered migration, and the energy crisis caused by the Ukrainian oil blockade.
At the government briefing, Gergely Gulyás noted that Brussels is trying to force the entry of migrants at all costs. The government has asked the justice minister to look into “how we can enforce part of the costs related to migration” against the European Commission in a lawsuit, he said. He criticized the fact that Hungary is being sanctioned for its practice of transit zones, while “this good Hungarian practice” has been partly taken over by the new pact on migration and asylum.
The protection of Schengen borders is also a common issue that not only serves Hungary’s security, but is important for Europe as a whole. In comparison, Hungary does not have access to the EU funds that Brussels provides to other countries for border protection,”
the minister explained.
He said that the head of the interior and justice ministry would examine the possibility that if Brussels still wants to impose rules that do not allow migrants to be detained, all migrants at the Hungarian border would be offered “voluntary and free transport to Brussels after following European procedures.”
“If Brussels wants migrants, they will get them. We’ll provide them with a one-way ticket to Brussels,” declared Minister Gergely Gulyás, highlighting Hungary’s firm stance on the migration issue.
The minister emphasized that if the EU makes it impossible for Hungary to… pic.twitter.com/3aRrbhddut
— Zoltan Kovacs (@zoltanspox) August 22, 2024
The minister also made an announcement on the Ukrainian oil blockade, informing journalists present that
Hungarian oil company MOL has a good chance of concluding the appropriate agreements to stop blocking oil transit to Hungary via Ukraine.
He said that this “will technically mean that, although it will be more expensive and the risk will be on MOL’s side at the Russian-Ukrainian border, there is a legal solution to ensure that supplies can continue.”
“We hope that in the long term, oil supplies will be secured on the line that is vulnerable to transit,” he added. The politician noted that “what we find particularly regrettable is that the European Commission has not acted to protect member states in this matter. Yet I have to say that it seems that energy security can be guaranteed in the long term with these agreements.”
Gergely Gulyás explained that neither Hungary nor Slovakia had received any support from Brussels, and that “in the face of the behavior of a country outside the European Union, which is in breach of the association agreement with the EU, Brussels is not giving EU members any protection on this issue.”
Via MTI, Featured image: MTI/Soós Lajos