Szijjarto calls for halting illegal immigration on land, at sea

The minister noted that Spain has been exposed to strong migratory pressure over the past few years, with a 50 percent rise registered in the number of Africans arriving illegally in the country this year. For this reason, there is a pressing need to mobilise resources to stop migration through maritime routes, he said.

The best way to do so is to prevent illegal migrants from boarding ships heading for Europe, Szijjarto said. For this reason, European nations have a vested interest in cooperating with the north African countries and helping them retain their stability, he said.

“Defending borders, identifying terrorists among the migrants and tough action against human smugglers are priorities for Europe,” he said.

Szijjarto praised the “increasingly robust” development of bilateral economic relations. Two-way trade, he noted, increased by 20 percent in 2021 and is expected to reach 5 billion euros by the end of the year.

Later today, Szijjarto is scheduled to meet his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Alvarez.