BUDAPEST, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto criticized some of the European Union (EU) policies, including the migration one, at a conference entitled the Future of Europe here on Wednesday.
In his opening speech at the two-day conference organized by the Public Foundation for the Research of History and Society of Central and Eastern Europe and the Szazadveg (End of the Century) Foundation, the foreign minister said "The migration policy of Brussels has failed as well as a good part of Western social integration efforts, so that is why it is not possible to put pressure on countries to accept migration as a good thing."
Regarding the next financial framework of the EU, the minister said it was a lie to say that European funds were some sort of humanitarian aid to Central Europe, as these were based on European treaties, and Central Europe has opened its markets to Western European companies, which have made huge profits here.
About the state of European democracy, he noted that the EU should leave to its citizens the right to decide about the future of the EU and not to close big decisions before next year's European Parliamentary elections.
"The EU is currently facing a series of historical challenges. For example, in the area of security issues, no correct answers have been made by Brussels so far, and since the end of the Cold War, there has never been such an unstable security situation as there is now," he warned.
According to the Hungarian minister, a strong and successful Europe was the goal and interest of Hungary, and a debate about how to get there was nothing but natural.
"For the sake of a strong Europe, free competition has to be restored within Europe, the safety of European people must be given back, Europe's Christian identity must be preserved, a decent debate over the next seven-year budget must take place and the erosion of European democracy must be stopped while the further rapid enlargement of the EU is needed," he argued.
The minister believes that a strong EU has to be built upon strong Member States rather than weak Member States. "A part of that is free competition between the Member States and the restoration of security," he underlined.
With regards to Hungarian people's choice, the minister said "Hungarians want Hungary to stay Hungarian, and that is the basis for the government, when debating European questions."