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A new tradition established

Hungary has used its Council Presidency to establish a new tradition in Strasbourg: As part of a working lunch, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) was expanded to include the representatives of five Western Balkan states and Turkey.

Barna Pál Zsigmond, State Secretary of the EU Ministry, informed the official news agency MTI by telephone from Strasbourg that Hungary wants to take concrete steps to accelerate the EU integration of the Western Balkans. With this in mind, the autumn meeting of the PACE was attended by Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Turkey in addition to its 46 member states.

The State Secretary reiterated Hungary’s position that the integration of the Western Balkans is essential for the stability of the region and Europe as a whole. The EU must develop a strategic vision for these countries. Hungary wants to see the Western Balkans in the EU sooner rather than later. The aim is to deepen co-operation with Turkey, both in the area of the economy and security policy, bearing in mind Turkey’s important role in limiting illegal migration.

 

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