Heger: Important to Help Hungary Strengthen Checks on Schengen Border

Prague, October 7 (TASR-correspondent) – It is important that we help Hungary strengthen checks on external Schengen borders, said Premier Eduard Heger (OLaNO) before the start of an informal summit of the European Council due to be held in Prague on Friday.

If people from Syria or Afghanistan get into the EU, readmission requirements make no sense, as military conflicts are taking place in those countries, he explained.

“As for this migration, we know that the solution is on the Hungarian-Serbian border, i.e. on the external Schengen border, if I am to be specific,” stated Heger. Syria and Afghanistan have been defined as countries where there is war, and so it’s impossible to repatriate refugees there, he said. “That’s why it’s important to secure the external border,” he added.

Although Heger met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday (October 6), the two officials didn’t speak about the migration crisis. “We’ll see whether or not we’ll get to this,” said the premier when asked whether the migration crisis will be discussed at Friday’s summit.

Heger views the summit that was held by the European Political Community (EPC) on Thursday as a very good one. “I think we’re moving towards a vision of discussing a common future from the viewpoint of security and from the viewpoint of peace. This certainly served its purpose,” said Heger when evaluating the first-ever EPC summit.

An informal summit of the European Council is taking place at Prague Castle on Friday, held during the Czech Presidency of the Council and hosted by Czech Premier Petr Fiala. Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, energy and the economic situation in Europe are high on the agenda. The informal format of the summit allows for exchanges of opinions on urgent issues without the leaders taking formal decisions.