The new Prime Minister of Hungary, Péter Magyar, has stated that the European Union must accept the candidate countries of the Western Balkans before Ukraine, otherwise it risks losing credibility in the region.
“Regarding EU membership, I want to encourage the European countries that, before others are promised any status, they first allow in the EU those candidates who have prepared for many years, who have given up many things, made many commitments and received many promises“, Magyar said in an interview for the Austrian agency APA, reported by N1 Serbia.
He warned that if the EU does not act in this way, it may lose credibility in the countries of the Western Balkans:
“We know that the stability and security of the Balkans is not only in the interest of the Balkans, but also of Europe. That is why I want to encourage everyone to first fulfill what we promised before, before various promises are made on behalf of the European Union.”
Magyar, who on May 21 made his first visit as Prime Minister to Austria, was also asked about the possibility of a referendum in Hungary on Ukraine’s accession to the EU. He said a referendum would be held, but only after the war with Russia is over and if Ukraine still wants membership.
“We are far from that, because Ukraine will not join the EU tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, but at least not in ten years. It is still far from that… But it is not only the opinion of Hungary, but of almost all European governments that there are no two ways to join the EU“, he emphasized.
Magyar added that every country that wants to join the EU must go through the same procedures and fulfill the same prerequisites.
He recalled that referendums for the admission of new countries to the EU have been held before in several member states:
“It is the right of every sovereign country to decide whether the government knows best, or, like the Hungarian government, to leave it to the people to decide at a certain moment about the admission of a country to the EU.”
