“The EU can only cope with this (migration) situation if it has external allies, and Egypt is one of the most obvious allies, a key country,” Viktor Orbán said at a press conference after the summit of the Visegrad countries and Egypt with Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, and Abdel-Fattah es-Sissi, President of Egypt.
He added that during the meeting, the Polish prime minister reported on migratory pressures on his country’s eastern border. He said that Hungary is feeling increasing pressure from Asia through the Balkans on the Serbian-Hungarian border. He said there was also a great deal of migration pressure on Europe from Africa.
“We are surrounded,” he said.
The Hungarian prime minister saw that the existential interests of the EU and Egypt coincided, and if Egypt could not pursue the policy of preventing the flow of migration from Egypt, “we would all be in grave danger.”
He said that not only should Egypt’s border defenses be strengthened, but this country of hundreds of millions should also stabilize economically and develop so that its population can offer opportunities for a good life to the young people there.
“This is not only an Egyptian but also a European interest,” he stressed.
Viktor Orbán suggested that the EU convene a meeting of the EU-Egypt Association Council as soon as possible, and that the EU accept Egypt as a strategic partner and adopt the proposed steps for Egypt to curb terrorism.
“Let’s accept as our own the list of persons and organizations classified as terrorists by Egypt,” Prime Minister Orbán urged. He proposed that the EU lift restrictions that prevent Egypt from acquiring the security equipment needed for border protection.
He drew attention to the fact that since 2016, not a single ship carrying migrants has left the shores of Egypt, which is proof that where there is a will and way (through strong leadership), migration at sea can also be restricted or prevented. He noted that for this achievement, Orbán and his peers jointly praised the President of Egypt at the meeting.
