Hungary has an existential interest in European Union membership of countries of Western Balkans
07. 12. 2022.
Hungary has an existential interest in the countries of the Western Balkans becoming members of the European Union as soon as possible, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated in a video posted on his official Facebook account.

The Prime Minister said he will represent a firm and robust position at the Tirana summit of the leaders of European states and the countries of the Western Balkans.

Mr Orbán said Hungary has an existential interest in these countries becoming members of the European Union as soon as possible.

Photo: Cher Vivien Benko

“This is an existential issue for Hungary, from the respect of our security, because we are only able to seal the migration route with Serbia’s help. This is also an existential issue from the viewpoint of Hungary’s energy security as today Hungarian families and Hungarian businesses are only receiving gas from the South, from the Balkans, from the direction of Serbia,” the Prime Minister stressed.

Serbia and the Western Balkans can be the gate of cheap energy coming to Central Europe from the South, and so it can resolve not only Hungary’s, but also the whole of Central Europe’s energy independence, he added.

“The time has come, this is what we will stand for now. Let’s not hesitate any further. The European Union should finally admit both Serbia and the other countries of the Western Balkans,” the Prime Minister said in the video.