Over 70 pc of Hungarians reject EU’s migrant quota – SURVEY

Budapest (MTI) – Some 72 percent of Hungarians are against the automatic distribution of asylum-seekers within European Union member states and 78 percent would vote ‘no’ at the Oct 2 referendum on EU migrant quotas, the Századvég Foundation said citing a September survey on Tuesday.

Századvég conducted its survey between September 7 and 12.

The representative survey based on interviewing more than two thousand adults by phone showed that only 3 percent of Hungarians would vote ‘yes’ at the upcoming referendum.

In the referendum Hungarians will be asked:

“Do you want to allow the European Union to mandate the resettlement of non-Hungarian citizens to Hungary without the approval of parliament?”

Supporters of the ‘no’ vote said it was a matter of sovereignty, with 61 percent saying it is the Hungarian people’s right to decide with whom they want to live with. Some 36 percent of ‘yes’ supporters said even though they did not agree with Brussels’ proposal, they could not accept the government’s position, either.

A total of 60 percent of the people interviewed said they expect a sweeping victory of the ‘no’ vote and 18 percent said the ‘no’ vote is expected to win with a narrow majority only. Even 54 percent of the people that plan to vote ‘yes’ said they expect the rejection of the quota to win on Oct 2.

Some 78 percent of the people asked said organised criminal groups were behind the terrorist attacks in Europe rather than lone attackers. A total of 65 percent said the misinterpretation of Islam was the main cause of terrorist attacks and 46 percent said it was poverty.

A total of 60 percent maintained the view that primarily economic migrants are arriving in Europe. They said migrants’ motivations are varied, with 60 percent naming better work prospects and 51 percent also stating political reasons.

Photo: MTI

Source: MTI