Orbán: Europe needs second line of defence to stem migrant inflow

Prague (MTI) – The European Union has so far failed in its management of the migration crisis as it has failed to protect the Schengen Area’s external borders, which is why the bloc is in need of a second line of defence, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in Prague on Monday after a Visegrad Four summit on migration.

The prime minister reiterated Hungary’s stance that Europe’s migrant inflow needs to be stopped altogether. He said the line of defence between the European Union and Turkey has proven ineffective as it has been unsuccessful in stopping the migrant flow. Orbán said logic and political responsibility dictate that discussions should be held on a second line of defence.

What Hungary can do is provide help to those willing to set up that second line of defence south of Hungary’s borders, the prime minister said.

Orbán said security and migration would be the most important issues of 2016. He said the latest estimates indicate there are about 38.5 million internal refugees living in Europe’s surrounding regions, who he said could set off for Europe at any time.

Orbán said the V4 countries have so far been successful in preventing the flow of a large number of refugees into the EU from Ukraine.

The V4 prime ministers, Orbán of Hungary, Bohuslav Sobotka of the Czech Republic, Beata Szydlo of Poland and Robert Fico of Slovakia, were joined at the summit by Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.

Orbán said both Macedonia and Bulgaria have been successful in managing the migrant crisis, adding that Bulgaria should therefore be offered to join Schengen and Macedonia the EU.

Photo: MTI

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters