EU wants to punish countries that refuse to accept migrants, says Fidesz MEP Deutsch

Fidesz MEP Tamás Deutsch said on Sunday that the European Union was “threatening and blackmailing” anti-migration countries and wanted to punish EU member states that refused to take in migrants.

Speaking at a press conference in Budapest, Deutsch said the EP decision on Thursday to set up a mechanism tying EU funding to observance of the rule of law in member states made clear that

“Brussels wants to punish countries that have not accepted migrants”.

“This is an outrageous and unacceptable political action disguised as an annual report on EU fundamental rights,” he said.

Deutsch said it was “absurd” that the report focused on the rights of migrants and immigrants while barely addressing the rights of EU citizens. The report, for instance, failed to identify how individual and collective minority rights are handled in the EU, he added.

He said it was clear from the report which direction “pro-migration policymakers in Brussels” sought to take in respect of “the mass influx of illegal migrants and immigration into Europe”. It expects all EU member states to accept immigration as a fundamental human right, he said.

Almost a third of EU member states have refused to adopt the United Nations Global Compact for Migration, he said, adding that the EU nevertheless expected its members to aid issuance of migrant visas, to set up legal migration routes and to support organisations that assist migration. He said the latter were backed by billionaire George Soros.