Szijjarto: Ukraine joining EU before Western Balkan countries is out of question

Photo: Tanjug/Milos Milivojevic

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungar, Peter Szijjarto says that Ukraine joining the European Union before the countries of the Western Balkans is out of the question.

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"Although the European Union is exerting strong pressure for Ukraine to join before the countries of the Western Balkans, such a scenario is out of the question," Szijjarto said in Budapest during a joint press conference with Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Timco Mucunski, reports MTI.

According to Szijjarto, one of the reasons for this is that the entry of the countries of the Western Balkans would be beneficial for the EU, while the membership of Ukraine would destroy the functioning of the bloc from the economic and security point of view.

Another reason, he added, is that no one thinks that Ukraine is more ready for the EU today than any country in the Western Balkans.

"It is complete nonsense. If the countries of the Western Balkans are in a better condition, I don't understand why they should wait. The Hungarians will declare themselves on this in a referendum," said Szijjarto.

According to the minister, the case of North Macedonia is a real example of the European Union's double standards, bearing in mind that the country has been a candidate for EU membership for 20 years, while some EU member governments have been constantly blocking the integration process.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)