Hungary is obviously an integral part of Europe and is dedicated to its values, Foreign Minister János Martonyi said on 1 May 2013, on the 9th anniversary of the country’s accession to the EU.

The Government does not want by any means  to reconsider Hungary’s EU membership but considers it important to protect the country’s national interests, while at the same time working to strengthen the bloc’s integration and its renewal, János Martonyi said on public television.

He said that Euroscepticism was on the rise throughout Europe, with many doubting the sense and purpose of the EU itself. The situation is similar in Hungary, he said, but blamed it on seven years of crisis, starting with a domestic economic, political and moral crisis in 2006 that was followed by the global crisis.

Martonyi said that the disputes with Brussels over the past several years provide an opportunity for the Hungarian Government to explain its policies and the motivation behind its decisions. He added that there had been misunderstandings as well, with political considerations in the background.

The facts must be addressed on Hungary’s disputes with Brussels, he said. He stressed the country’s readiness to continue dialogue and noted that consultations had already yielded solutions with relation to several disputed issues.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs)