"The European Union needs Serbia which is why Hungary will support the Western Balkans’ speedy accession to the EU," Hungarian President Katalin Novak said in Belgrade following her meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

“The European Union needs Serbia, not just the other way round,” said Novak, adding that Hungary will be glad if Serbia and the other Western Balkan countries join the EU as soon as possible.

The Hungarian President expressed hope that the granting of EU candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova will speed up the Western Balkans’ European integration process. Serbia has taken some very serious steps in an effort to respond to all EU requests, she said.

President Novak said that Serbia joining the Schengen zone would facilitate the crossing of the Serbian-Hungarian border and thanked Serbia for “reducing the pressure of migrants on the border between the two countries.”

The Hungarian President said economic relations between Serbia and Hungary are more intense than ever.