The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade from Budapest, Szijjártó Péter, declared on Friday, in Miercurea-Ciuc, that the national interests of Romania and Hungary coincide with regard to the country's accession with full rights to Schengen areA and that efforts are still being made to make this happen in the next two months.
"Furthermore, we must do everything possible for Romania to finally join the Schengen area as a member with full rights. Here we are talking about a matter in which the national interests of Romania and the national interests of Hungary, respectively of the two peoples, coincide. For this reason, just as during the four months of the Hungarian presidency [of the EU Council] so far, we will do everything possible, we will mobilize everything and we will try to convince everyone (...) in the next two months, so that Romania can finally join the Schengen area. Our interest is that the lives of the communities on both sides of the border are connected with the strongest fabrics, for which we need the status of Schengen member", said Péter Szijjártó, in a press conference, according to the translation provided by the organizers.
Asked about the fact that the Prime Minister of Romania, Marcel Ciolacu, declared that this year the decision will be made regarding Romania's entry into Schengen with land borders, the official from Budapest expressed his hope that this will happen and argued that the officials of two governments are in contact almost daily on this issue.
This topic was also touched upon in a forum in which the head of Hungarian diplomacy participated, in Miercurea-Ciuc, together with the leader of the UDMR, Kelemen Hunor. He asserted that in the past it was "unimaginable" that the national interest of Romania and the national interest of Hungary could coincide, but that this is happening now, in the case of our country's accession to Schengen.
He stated that "the economic traffic between the two countries is continuously increasing, Romania being "the strongest exporter to Hungary", and the positive things can be carried forward, "if these artificial barriers no longer exist".
The EU Council is led by rotation by one member state, for 6 months each, and Hungary ensures this presidency between July 1 and December 31, 2024.