Athens, 9 November 2023

1st Vice-President of Parliament meets with Deputy State Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary

The 1st Vice-President and Chair of the Committee on European Affairs of the Hellenic Parliament Ioannis Plakiotakis met today with the Deputy State Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary Krisztina Varju, who is in Greece on an official visit. 

Mr Plakiotakis in his intervention stressed that the Hungarian Presidency of the EU Council, in the second semester of 2024, comes at a crucial moment, considering the global state of affairs, but also the upcoming institutional changes that will follow the European elections in June. He expessed his concern about the increasing instability in the wider neighbourhood of the EU, due to the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as the wish fo the crisis not to spill over, as this could lead, inter alia, to a new explosion of migration flows toward Europe. 

Commenting on the priorities of the Hungarian Presidency, Mr Plakiotakis focused particularly on migration management, emphasising the contribution of the Coast Guard and other security forces of our country in guarding the European borders and dismantling illegal trafficking networks. 

Mrs Krisztina Varju informed the Vice-President of the Parliament about the priorities of the Hungarian Presidency, which include the migration issue, the demographic issue, the enlargement process and the strengthening of the EU defence policy, while focusing on the challenges her country is facing as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Lastly, the two sides agreed to strengthen parliamentary contacts, in light of the assumption of the EU Council Presidency by Hungary.

 

Back