Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto was unapologetic after a Foreign Ministry official was seen meeting with former Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, who received political asylum in Hungary. Szijjarto said that it is normal that diplomats will meet with Gruevski, given his depth of experience and knowledge in the current Balkans affairs.

We are regularly meeting with him, and it makes no difference to us where the meetings take place. Gruevski has the most authentic information about the developments in the Western Balkans, since he was a Prime Minister for 10 years, Szijjarto said when asked about the meeting in the Hungarian Parliament.

Pressed further on the issue given Gruevski’s politically motivated corruption charges in Macedonia, Szijjarto replied that there is double standard in the allegation against Gruevski. Szijjarto reminded the members of Parliament that the current Prime Minister of Macedonia Zoran Zaev was also charged with corruption, and received a presidential pardon in 2008.