Orbán expects ‘another attack’ against Hungary on migrant quotas
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Hungary “is facing another attack” because those who want to introduce a mandatory migrant quota in Europe will try again next year, since there was no decision on the subject at December’s European Union summit, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Friday.
Hungary’s position is supported by the more than 2.3 million people who participated in the government’s “National Consultation” survey, Orbán told public Kossuth Radio.
He said he had not yet succeeded in convincing his opponents in Europe, with the number of those urging the introduction of a migrant quota being unchanged. They are expected to argue in support of their position at an upcoming summit in March, Orbán added.
So far “we have only won time” but in elections in Europe in the recent period, there has been a strengthening of those who wish to restrict migration, Orbán said, adding that he expected this trend to continue.
Those that want a “Europe of mixed population” and believe that the extinction of Christian societies is the path to development are continually getting weaker results in national elections, he said.
“We must hold on until people in western Europe, following in the footsteps of central Europeans, get strong enough and are able to use their democratic means, the elections, to force their leaders to pursue politics that reflect the people’s wish and rejects migration,” Orbán said.
Orbán also talked about a Visegrád Group meeting to provide significant help to Italy for stopping migrants at the country’s maritime borders. Various reports show that in the next few years, several ten million people will be migrating primarily from Africa and one of their main routes to Europe will be through Italy.
“This must be closed because if Italy is left unprotected then we cannot protect Europe, either,” he added.
Commenting on recent EU measures connected to Poland, he said if somebody attacks Poland, they attack the whole of central Europe. Hungary’s interest is to show solidarity with the Poles and make it clear that no EU punishment can be introduced against them, he added