Hungary, Budapest – Thursday, February 22, representatives of the Visegrád 4 have met in the Hungarian Parliament to speak about defense and migration.
According to Szilárd Németh, the president of the Hungarian parliamentarian committee for defense, the purpose of the V4 is the strengthening of the region’s stability and security, and serve peace and well-being.
On this V4 defense meeting, one of the main themes was the mass migration topic. For the Hungarian lawmaker, mass migration is not only a security threat, but also a threat for identity, existentialism, economics and social situation. He underlined a day earlier that legal immigration too might be a problem, especially for identity, as for example kebabs, but also McDonald’s, threaten Hungarian gastronomy.
Radovan Vích, the vice-president of the Czech defense committee, stressed that the four leaders of committees support the common work of the V4 members in the field of military industry. Anton Hrnko, the Slovak representative thanked his counterparts for the useful consultation. Slovakia is willing to take part in any project that ensure security and tranquility of European citizens.
Michał Jach, the Polish representative underlined the importance of the cooperation between V4 members on every level, not only between Prime Ministers, but also between parliamentarians, so the ties between these countries might get stronger. According to Michal Jach, the V4 countries share a similar view on European security, and share also the same point of view regarding the dangers of African and Asian immigration.
The Polish representative stressed the importance to convince other European countries that migration and terrorism are linked. He expressed then his gratitude toward Hungary for having voted a resolution on Tuesday, February 20, aiming to support Poland in regards of the EU and other western political attacks. “Poland can count on Hungary even in hard time,” said Michał Jach.
Szilárd Németh explained that the V4 is still concerned by the migration’s threat as various organisations, political and economic forces and lobbyists” try to “push the view through the European Union and the UN” that migration is “a good thing”. By promoting the idea that migration can not be stopped, they want to make illegal migration legal, and tear down any obstacle to migrants.
Although, cooperation between Poland, Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary since 2015 proved them wrong, and that the problem can be solved, said Szilárd Németh. Hungary and the Visegrád Group have shown the world “how to cooperate, help each other and stand in solidarity,” Németh said. Lack of solidarity is a reproach often laid at Hungary’s door, he said. Solidarity, however, should be exercised not towards migrants but towards Europe, he said.
The leaders of the committees signed a joint declaration on stepping up defense cooperation.