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Budapest, 28 March 2017
Dear all,
I would like to firstly thank Minister Pintér and Minister Trocsanyi, for the excellent cooperation that we had today, and their hospitality.
We had good discussions this morning on the many different aspects of the migration policy in the EU and in Hungary.
Only a few days ago we, Europeans, celebrated the 60th anniversary of the European Union.
60 years of continuous peace, prosperity and stability – something that we should not take for granted.
And we don't. The European Union remains committed, because we want to and because we have to, to continue working together towards a safe and more secure Europe.
Both migration and security today are not only European but global challenges.
And we all know that no country can manage or tackle them alone.
For security, I'm glad to be visiting CEPOL later today, which offers training to European law enforcement officials across the EU and thereby helps to strengthen cross-border cooperation on issues vital to the security of the European Union and its citizens.
For migration, we are not where we were 2 years ago.
We have gone from a scattered approach to a comprehensive and European approach in two years – and Hungary has been part of this.
Reinforcing and better protecting our external borders and working with key third countries has proven essential.
Thanks to the EU-Turkey Statement, which continues to work, the number of arrivals in the Aegean Sea has dramatically fallen.
The Western Balkan migration route has also stabilised, but we need to continue monitoring and fighting migrant smuggling in the region together with Europol.
The European Border and Coast Guard is operational and working, with 1350 border guards deployed.
We will start the first round of negotiations of the status agreement with Serbia next month, so that the European Border and Coast Guard can also be deployed at their borders – this will be crucial for the region, for Serbia, but also for Hungary.
In parallel we have strengthened out external borders also by introducing systematic checks for EU citizens, meaning that anyone crossing the EU's external border is checked.
I hope that the discussions on the Entry-Exit System and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System will also progress swiftly in the coming months.
As I said in the beginning, only through a joint and coordinated approach, can we really address the migration challenges.
Because what happens in Syria, is not just felt in Turkey and Greece, but also in Hungary and Germany.
And we are a Union based on fundamental principles to help those in need of protection, in a human, dignified and respectful way.
This implies giving effective access to the asylum procedure while fighting against abuses, but also ensuring a fair review of decisions.
In this context, the new Hungarian legislation and the way Hungary is protecting the external borders was also part of the discussion that we had today with the Ministers.
In a very friendly spirit of positive cooperation, we decided to work together through our experts and ensure that EU rules also are complied with.
The European principles have been jointly and unanimously agreed by all Member States, and should therefore be respected and implemented by everyone too.
We cannot have a Union or as I have repeatedly said in the past, solidarity à la carte.
This is why we have to deliver on all aspects of the European Union's migration policy: relocate and resettle those in need of protection, return to those who have no right to stay, and better manage our external borders – all in full compliance of EU rules.
By implementing our decisions and our policies, it will allow us to return to a normalisation of the situation: without secondary migration flows, without unfair or disproportionate burdens on a handful of countries, without internal controls in the Schengen area.
And referring to Schengen, let me tell you that I know how important Schengen is for Hungary.
You Hungarians, in the past you have fought for a Europe without borders to be able to move freely. We don’t want to have a Fortress Europe.
As we celebrate 60 years of European Union altogether, we also celebrate 13 years of Hungary's membership to the European Union soon.
Hungary is one of the most European countries, with a longstanding European history and tradition, has made an enormous contribution and, at the same time, has greatly benefitted from the European project.
And this is how it's supposed to be for all European members.
Let's take this European spirit forward and let it guide us all, in our common European perspective and future.
Once again, I would like to express my thanks to the Ministers, for this fruitful, constructive and friendly discussion, as always.
And I look forward to continue our excellent cooperation in the future.
Thank you.
Video: https://ec.europa.eu/avservices/video/player.cfm?ref=I136053