Vučić: We have taken two steps VIDEO

Vučić: We have taken two steps VIDEO

Former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš is with them.

President Aleksandar Vučić first thanked his Hungarian friends for meeting on a weekly basis and solving problems related to illegal migration.

"We took two measures. First, we started accepting and canceling free visas for certain countries where a significant number of migrants came from. We ended up with four countries so far for Tunisia, Burundi, Guinea-Bissau and India and aligning with what is required of us by EU. Another thing we are undertaking, and will undertake, is to strengthen the border towards North Macedonia and Bulgaria," said Vučić.

According to him, this year we have a four-fold increase in the flow of illegal migrants from the territory of North Macedonia and a 3.6-fold increase from the territory of Bulgaria.

"We prevented 45,965 illegal entries from the territory of North Macedonia alone. I see that number in Hungary is 261,001 and we have taken another measure, which is a stricter approach towards armed criminal groups. Not far from here towards Subitica, Palić and Horgoš, we had in several places our security forces and armed confrontations and arrested more than 600 of those who thought they could carry out certain illegal activities with weapons and participate in illegal migration. I believe that we will continue to take measures to preserve safety and security," said Vučić.

The Hungarian President said that she and her friends from Serbia are trying to solve the problem of illegal migrants and that for this purpose it is necessary to expand cooperation. She is grateful, as she pointed out, for every step that will contribute to solving that big problem for the EU.

Babiš said that as Czech Prime Minister, he dealt with that issue, which he considers a security issue for the Union.

"Europe is like Asterix and Obelix, and we have to defend Europe at sea. I was shocked that Croatia had to wait eight years to be part of the Schengen zone," he said and expressed regret that Bulgaria and Romania did not get the green light to enter that zone.

I think that as many countries as possible should be admitted to that zone and that should also be discussed with Turkey, Babis added. "Serbia should also be part of the Schengen zone, even though it is not part of the EU, because it participates in solving the problem of migrants," Babis pointed out.

"We need Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, the entire Balkans, we don't need all of them to be members of the EU, we need those countries," he said and added that the European Council is not dealing with the problem in the right way, but that it is good that the French President is Emmanuel Macron.

Babiš said that the EU gave millions to the southern countries, that Hungary did not receive anything even though it was happy to take care of refugees from Ukraine, as well as the Czech Republic. "I know that there are 27 ministers, that the negotiations are complicated, but it is about security. We have to take steps," said Babiš and recalled how Zoran Zaev (former prime minister of North Macedonia) was faced with the problem of illegal migrants and the desire to help Europe for days.