Mickoski: Magyar’s statement not related to Western Balkan states

Hristijan Mickoski expressed his belief that Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar’s stance, according to which Hungary does not support accelerating the membership of any candidate country in the European Union, did not concern the Western Balkan states, but other candidates.

Responding to journalists after the promotion of new municipal vehicles for municipalities, Mickoski said he does not believe his colleague Magyar was thinking about the Balkans. He recalled that, since his election as Prime Minister of Hungary, the country’s strategic partner, Magyar has made dozens of statements in which he has expressed clear and sincere support for the Western Balkans’ membership in the European Union. According to Mickoski, this support, which includes the country due to its geographical belonging, has never been questioned, so he assesses that the statement was directed at other candidate countries for EU membership.

Peter Magyar’s statement that Hungary does not support an accelerated admission procedure for any candidate state in the European Union came after his meeting with the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa. Journalists also asked Mickoski about the possibility of an investigation regarding the Hungarian loan the country took during the period when Viktor Orban was prime minister. He described this as an internal matter of Hungary.

Mickoski said he expects the Hungarian institutions to finish their work and then issue a statement about that loan. Responding also to the question of whether he felt fear, he said there was absolutely no concern, as the entire issue is part of the strategic partnership confirmed by both governments and both parliaments. He emphasized that the funds were spent transparently and thanked Hungary for being the first to offer assistance to the country as a strategic partner at a time when efforts were being made to save it from bankruptcy, caused, according to him, by the debts inherited from the bandit government of SDSM and DUI.