Szijjarto: EU ‘largest supporter of migration’

Szijjarto told a press conference held jointly with his Bosnian counterpart Elmedin Konakovic, that “the business model of people smugglers works precisely because of Brussels’ pro-migration policy.” Rather than stating that legal entry is the only way to come to Europe, “Brussels forces [resettlement] quotas, practically sending an invitation letter to every migrant to come here,” he said.

In view of all that, the EU’s infringement procedure against Hungarian legislation on expelling people smugglers to serve their detentions in their former country of residence is “unacceptable, hypocritical and ludicrous,” he said.

Hungary has spent some 650 billion forints (EUR 1.7bn) on border protection, and received a mere 1 percent of that in compensation from the EU, he noted.

Szijjarto said the Hungarian legislation, adopted in April 2023, aims to “expel people smugglers because it is better to have them outside the country. We expel them because we are not willing to spend Hungarian taxpayers’ money on them. Especially if they then turn to European courts, wanting money for not having been treated well.”

“Besides committing crimes, and crimes facilitated by the European Union, we should also pay for not treating them well in Hungarian prisons,” he said.