“As long as I’m a minister and the PAS will be in power, we will have good relations with all the states that respect the Republic of Moldova,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Mihai Popșoi stated after the controversial statements made by his Hungarian counterpart Péter Szijjártó in Chisinau during his official visit. The Moldovan official noted that the rhetoric of the Hungarian diplomatic service in relation to Ukraine is well known, and Chisinau has no right to give lessons to Hungary, IPN reports.

Minister Popșoi said that his Hungarian counterpart Péter Szijjártó came to Chisinau at his invitation, given that Hungary since July 1 has held the presidency of the Council of the European Union.

“Hungary now holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union and the discussions conducted now in Brussels regarding the European Union’s budget depend also on Hungary’s position. It goes t important programs, the way these resources will be distributed, including for the candidate countries. We have the assurances and all the support from the authorities in Budapest that we will be treated in a fair and meritocratic way thanks to the good relationships we have,” Mihai Popșoi stated in the talk show “Secrets of the Power” on Jurnal TV.

While in Chisinau, the Hungarian foreign minister explained that, although the EU member states publicly declare that they support the enlargement of the European Union, de facto they oppose the accession of new members. Moreover, the head of the Hungarian diplomatic service noted that Hungary opposes Ukraine’s accession to the bloc as Kiev violates fundamental European principles.

“It is not good to intervene in a debate that does not concern you. Many have been trying for years to spoil our relationship with Ukraine. Some are now trying to do the same with regard to Hungary. None of them will succeed. As long as I’m a minister and as long as the PAS is in power, we will have excellent relations with all the countries that respect the Republic of Moldova. The Hungarian minister’s statements were not new. He made such statements every time he had the opportunity. When the press was more interested in Ukraine than in the Republic of Moldova, he received the answer he expected and intuited. I heard the more forthright language for which Mr. Szijjártó is known. I consider that in difficult situations, such as the war, sensitive topics can wait, but I’m not in a position to give lessons to Mr. Péter Szijjártó, just as he does not give me lessons either,” said Minister Popșoi.

During his official visit to Chisinau on September 6, Minister Péter Szijjártó reaffirmed Hungary’s commitment to support the Republic of Moldova in its modernization and European integration efforts. “While holding the presidency of the Council of the European Union, Hungary is seriously focused on advancing the issue of enlargement and we offer Moldova all the support so that the country can accelerate its integration process,” stated Péter Szijjártó.