21 October 2015•Update: 27 October 2015
ANKARA
Hungary supports the "quick implementation" of the EU-Turkey action plan, the Hungarian foreign minister said during his one-day visit to Ankara.
The EU plan foresees closer cooperation between Brussels and Ankara in halting migrants and fighting smugglers, as well as visa free travel in Europe for Turkish nationals in return.
"We are arguing in favor of a quick agreement for the EU-Turkey action plan," Peter Szijjarto told Anadolu Agency on Tuesday.
Turkey's integration into the EU and its 28-year bid to become a member have once again come to the forefront because of the refugee crisis facing Europe and the EU’s need to enlist Turkish help to stem the inflow of migrants.
As EU leaders discuss deals to provide Turkey with financial support for the roughly 2.2 million refugees it hosts, Ankara is hoping for a speeding up of the accession process initiated in 1987 as well as visa-free travel in Europe for its citizens.
"Our position is that the EU should enlarge because if the EU is too introverted with its own problems then we will be even weaker in the future. So, our position is that enlargement is necessary and we should have a much tighter cooperation with Turkey," Szijjarto said.
Szijjarto also added that the visa liberalization process with Turkey should be accelerated, which will lead to many advantages.
Refugee issue
"You know from the European perspective, it is not a refugee issue. This is mass migration," said Szijjarto.
He said the migrants who want to reach Europe, have an "economic motivation".
"Turkey is a safe country. Turkey takes care of these refugees in a proper and very correct way. That is why we proposed to the EU to provide financial support to Turkey," said Szijjarto.
Ankara estimates that about $8 billion have been spent so far on refugees while support from other countries only amounted to $417 million.
"Turkey is bearing the majority of the burden," said the minister. "I think that the fair approach should be that the EU would take over the finances of the refugee camps here and if new refugee camps should be built, then we should take over the finances as well," the minister said.
