What Viktor Orban had to say about Serbia: Key country, that is receiving shameful treatment

Photo: Tanjug/AP

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said last night that Serbia is a key country in the region and that the treatment and behavior of the EU towards Serbia is shameful.

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Ahead of of the start of the EU-Western Balkans summit in Brussels, asked what he thought about Serbian officials not attending this gathering, Orban said that the Western Balkans is an economic "gold reserve" for the European Union, while Serbia is a key country for defending Europe against migrations.

"Therefore, we can do nothing without Serbia. And what is happening here - I mean the treatment and behavior towards Serbia - is shameful. It's completely unfair. We (EU) are behaving in an unacceptable manner. Serbia acounts for more than one third of the population of the Balkans, the region of the Western Balkans. The economy of the Western Balkans is at least half Serbian. Exports from this region are probably two thirds Serbian. Without Serbia, it's impossible to do anything in the Western Balkans," he said.

Orban stressed that the EU must first accept Serbia in order to find solutions to the difficulties, and then move forward with other countries - not the other way around.

"We are doing the exact opposite. It's not good. It's bad. It's unfair and shameful. That's why we Hungarians must support them (Serbia) to move forward," concluded Orban.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)