Serbia PM "shocked" by Hungary's plan to erect border fenceJune 18, 2015 - 17:56 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Serbia's prime minister has said he is "shocked" by Hungary's plan to erect a border fence to keep out migrants, BBC News reports. Aleksandar Vucic said the four-metre (13ft) fence was "not the solution" to migrants entering Hungary from Serbia. Hungarian authorities announced the plan on Wednesday, June 17 saying the wall would run the length of the 175km (109-mile) border between the countries. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Hungary could not wait for the EU to find a solution to immigration. Speaking on TV during a visit to Oslo, Vucic said: "I am surprised and shocked. We will discuss this decision with our Hungarian colleagues. "Building walls is not the solution. Serbia can't be responsible for the situation created by the migrants, we are just a transit country. Is Serbia responsible for the crisis in Syria?" Vucic said he intended to discuss the move with Serbia's partners in the EU. There was also criticism from the Council of Europe's Human Rights Commissioner Nils Muiznieks, who described the planned fence as "ill-advised." There has been a sharp rise in the number of migrants and asylum seekers entering Hungary in 2015. The government said about 54,000 migrants entered the country so far this year, compared to 43,000 people in 2014. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament. Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. |