Hungarian FM: Hungary supports strengthening Bosnia-Herzegovina’s stability

Hungary will support every measure aimed at strengthening peace, stability and the economy in the Western Balkans, and Bosnia and Herzegovina within the region, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said after talks with Christian Schmidt, High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Budapest on Thursday.

At a joint press conference, Szijjártó said Europe was facing serious challenges and Hungary was under “double pressure” posed by migration from the east and the south. “In such a situation the last thing we need is another security challenge,” he said, calling on the international community “to keep the Western Balkans in sight”. “Failing to do so would be a serious mistake and would have serious security consequences,” Szijjártó said.

He called the region’s stability “critically important” for whole of the European Union and added that ensuring peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina was essential. “This is why it is high time to speed up the region’s [EU] integration,” the foreign minister said.

The stability of Bosnia-Herzegovina is particularly important for Hungary due to that country’s geographical proximity which is why the Hungarian government supports every measure aimed at strengthening stability and rejects any proposal that would further destabilise the country, and the region, Szijjártó said.