PM: In Addition to Ukraine, EU Must Also Find Money to Tackle Illegal Migration

Budapest, November 7 (TASR) - The European Union (EU) must start funding more measures to fight illegal migration in the near future, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) said at the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Budapest on Thursday, TASR learnt from premier's post on Facebook. "If money is to be found for the senseless war in Ukraine where Slavs are being killed, a war that has no solution because there is no military solution, then we must have the courage to say that there are other more serious problems to which the EU must respond," wrote Fico, adding that there are currently four million illegal migrants in Europe, causing political turmoil and the reintroduction of border checks. Fico suggested that when drafting the new EU budget for the period from 2027, the Union must "make it clear that illegal migration is one of the biggest threats to the functioning of the EU". In his statement, the Slovak premier highlighted the role of Serbia and Hungary in addressing the migration crisis. In his view, cooperation with Serbia is particularly important in protecting the Schengen border. He also highlighted the agreement between Albania and Italy on the processing of asylum applications of migrants entering the EU. The Budapest summit has brought together 42 heads of states and governments, as well as the EU, NATO and Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe leaders. In addition to the leaders of the 27 EU member states, the leaders of the Caucasus and Western Balkan countries, as well as the heads of the United Kingdom, Ukraine and Turkey, were invited. am/mcs