Hidveghi: Migration pact to further aggravate situation in Europe

Balazs Hidveghi said after an European parliamentary debate on new migration and asylum regulation that the package would “forcibly introduce” a system in which decisions on asylum applications would only be made “after the illegal migrant [applicants] are allowed to enter”. “And we know that Europe is unable to send migrants back to their countries of origin . even if they could not lawfully stay in the EU.”

“The migration package … would open Europe’s gates wide before illegal migrants,” the MEP insisted. The package is aimed to “repeat and push all the earlier proposals that have turned out to be impracticable and unsuitable for resolving this problem,” he said. A mandatory distribution of illegal migrants and penalising member states refusing to accommodate those migrants were among the failed, earlier ideas, he said.

Hidveghi said Hungary was the only EU member having a “really effective system … built on a legal and physical border seal”. “Hungary has demonstrated that migration could be stopped if there is a political will and action … we will insist on maintaining that system,” Hidveghi said.

The EU package is “an open attack” against Hungary and its migration rules, he said, adding that “Hungarians made it clear on several occasions that they don’t want illegal migration and would not accept Hungary’s becoming a migrant destination … they don’t want us to give in to pressure from Brussels,” Hidveghi said.

MEPs of Hungary’s Fidesz rejected the package and “will protect Hungary’s independence, sovereignty and the security of its citizens among all circumstances,” he said.

In his contribution to the debate, Hidveghi said the “essence” of the debate was not helping refugees. “We all want to help people in need. This debate, in its essence, is about whether or not we are able to preserve our European identity, our way of life, norms, culture and traditions,” he said.

He said supporting mass migration was putting those values at risk. “It is in reality a social transformation project that is imposed upon the European people”, mostly without asking their opinion, he said. He warned that illegal mass migration would lead to the “disintegration of society”. “Public safety is deteriorating, the state is losing control,” he said.

Hungary would not relinquish its way of life and the protection of its safety and culture, he said. “The Hungarian people have been asked about this issue, and they repeatedly rejected illegal mass migration. This is why we firmly reject this pact,” he said.