Election 2018 – Fidesz spokesman: Government plans to pass ‘Stop Soros’ bill in May

After a resounding victory in which the Fidesz-led alliance chalked up a 49 percent win on its national list in Sunday’s election, the party vowed to press ahead swiftly to crack down on civil organisations that help migrants and refugees.

The Fidesz parliamentary group’s spokesman said in an interview on Monday that the governing alliance, with a two-thirds majority, would be able to freely pass the “Stop Soros” bill, which seeks to curb the activities of pro-migration NGOs. Parliament, said János Halász, is expected to meet later in the month so the legislation can be wrapped up in May.

“No one is in any doubt: this is a question of sovereignty and the security of the country,” he said.

Commenting on Fidesz’s projected 133 seats which equate to a supermajority, Halász also said Fidesz had not counted on such a big win. “We are delighted with the result,” he told public broadcaster M1. “People realised that it was a fateful election…” Halász added.

“We must carry on working to fight against migration … but also life goes on, and we will work to make sure taxes fall and wages grow, too,” he said.

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó told M1 on Monday that the Hungarian government would use its “unprecedented support” to guarantee the security of the Hungarian people.

The European Union can’t find a solution to the migration crisis and “Brussels [sees] the security of their own citizens as less than a top priority,” he said. The Visegrád countries, he added, have decided to continue discussing the United Nations’ migration pact and try to change it “from the insidme”, he said.

Meanwhile, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said Hungary’s electoral process and the ruling parties’ excessive resources undermined contestants’ ability to compete on an equal basis in Sunday’s general election. Voters had the option to choose from a number of candidates, but “intimidating and xenophobic rhetoric, media bias and opaque campaign financing” hindered real political debate, OSCE election monitor Douglas Wake told a press conference assessing the ballot.

Gergely Gulyás, group leader of ruling Fidesz, said in reaction that the OSCE had “overstepped its authority” with some of its findings.

“It’s not within the OSCE’s remit to express an opinion about the Hungarian election campaign, and wrangling with the ruling parties that oppose migration and voicing an opinion on the government’s campaign is especially uncalled for,” Gulyás told MTI. “Opposing immigration is not xenophobia but rather a life instinct,” he said.

Featured image: Daily News Hungary

Source: MTI