OREANDA-NEWS. “The interests of Hungary and the European Union correspond with respect to the fact that Great Britain should remain a member of the European Union”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade P?ter Szijj?rt? told Hungarian news agency MTI in a telephone statement prior to a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Luxembourg on Monday.

According to Mr. Szijj?rt?: “Great Britain’s withdrawal would weaken the European Union both economically and politically to a major extent in view of the fact that the UK is Europe’s second and the world’s fifth largest and strongest economy”.

“During debates on the future of Europe the British represent many standpoints which, if they do not receive sufficient support, will move the debate in a bad direction from Hungary’s perspective”, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade highlighted.

“For instance, the Hungarian and British standpoints coincide with regard to the fact that the role of national parliaments must be expanded. The lesson to be learned from the crises that have hit the EU is also that the knowledge required to make rapid and important decisions fundamentally exists at a nation state level”, he stressed.

“This indicates that Member States and the decision-making rights of Member States must be expanded and reinforced, because if Brussels were to receive more and stronger decision rights it would be contrary to the interests of both the European Union and Hungary”, he emphasised.