Parliamentary parties consult on constitutional amendment, ‘Stop Soros’ bill

The ruling alliance of Fidesz and the Christian Democrats and the opposition LMP and Párbeszéd parties on Monday met to discuss the government’s constitutional amendment proposal and the “Stop Soros” bill currently before parliament.

Speaking to public news channel M1 after the talks, Fidesz lawmaker György Balla called the meeting “a sad experience”, saying that the opposition parties “haven’t learned anything, and it is perfectly clear that they still support illegal migration”. Balla said the opposition’s only proposed changes to the bills would prevent the organisation of illegal migration from being written into the criminal code or make it impossible from a procedural standpoint.

He said the opposition was “looking for excuses, but their true intention is still to support [US financier] George Soros’s NGOs”, instead of taking action against illegal migration.

Asked about the timetable for the vote on the bills, Balla said it was certain that parliament will vote on them before the summer recess.

Párbeszéd MP Olivio Kocsis-Cake said his party had proposed at the talks that parliament should not vote on the bills until the meaning behind terms such as “aiding” and “organising” is clarified in the context of illegal migration. He said Párbeszéd prioritises the safety of migrants and their humane treatment, and agrees with the premise that mass illegal migration and human smuggling should be stopped. But the bills before parliament would not adequately combat human smuggling in Hungary, Kocsis-Cake insisted. Párbeszéd still believes that the aim of the bills is to intimidate civil organisations that help refugees, he added.

LMP’s László Lóránt Keresztes said the aim of the bills was not what they purported to be, namely the creation of a clearer legal situation in Hungary with a view to strengthening the country’s security.

He underlined LMP’s belief in the importance of stopping illegal migration and that immigration policy should be a national competency.

People’s patriotic Jobbik, the Socialist Party and the Democratic Coalition were absent from the talks.

Featured image: MTI

Source: MTI