Speaking in in Pecs, in southern Hungary, Szijjarto referred a Volodymyr Zelensky's recent statement that a majority of Hungarians were likely support his country's EU bid.

"It's not the president of Ukraine but the Hungarian people who will make the decision..." Szijjarto said.

He said the opposition Tisza Party backed Ukraine's bid as it was "a member of the most pro-Ukrainian party family in Europe, the European People's Party".

The minister said Brussels wanted to fast-track the accession process, and this would mean "tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian workers" flooding the Hungarian labour market, while "the Ukrainian mafia could use Hungary as a gateway".

Szijjarto said Hungarians could "prevent this" by voting in the upcoming referendum on the issue. Whatever the standpoint of Hungarians, "we will represent it," he added.

Meanwhile, responding to a journalist's question, he said it would be "bad news" if the US were to withdraw from the diplomatic settlement process, "but this is not the case for now".

"I gather they want to give the warring parties more space for negotiations, but I hope that we can also count on their help in the future, in the coming days, weeks and months," he said.

Orban: Ukraine's EU accession would not be 'a good deal'

Ukraine's accession to the European Union would not be "a good deal", Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Tuesday, adding that Ukraine would not add value to the bloc but bankrupt it.

Reacting to comments made by European People's Party leader Manfred Weber at a press conference today, Orban said that Hungary had been admitted to the EU because this had benefitted it members. "It was a good deal -- for Germany too, Herr Weber," the prime minister wrote in a post on Facebook.

Orban said that Ukraine's accession, in contrast, would not be "a good deal".

He added: "Sending Ukraine European money instead of using it to boost Europe's ailing economy would be a huge mistake. It's time European leaders represented the European people, Herr Weber!"

Source: 
MTI - The Hungarian News Agency, founded in 1881.

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