Szijjártó cited most recent data showing a total of 86,485 illegal migrants arriving in Hungary this year, 99.3% of whom came from the direction of Serbia. This June’s figures by the European Union’s border guards agency show more people arriving in the EU through the Western Balkans than across the Mediterranean, with most of them coming from Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

A new resolution approved by the EU foreign ministers acknowledges the extraordinary migration pressure from the Western Balkans and takes note of Hungary’s proposal to arrange a conference on the issue in Budapest. “It is unacceptable to us if the EU fails to recognise the true significance of the pressure from the Balkans,” he said.

Despite frequent calls for a geographically more balanced approach, the EU has repeatedly given the impression that insufficient attention is being paid on the Balkans route, he added. Szijjártó held talks with German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier and asked his support for a more balanced approach.

He said no official decision has been made yet on Budapest hosting a migration conference but the government would like EU foreign ministers and interior ministers to meet in Budapest in October and also invite representatives of the six Western Balkan transit countries and Turkey.

The aim is to set up hot spots where EU officials could filter the migrants and select those who are eligible for refugee status, he said.

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MTI Photo: Foreign Ministry