Conference of EU house speakers – Migrant resettlement must be voluntary, says Kövér

Luxembourg (MTI) – Any resettlement of migrants in European Union member states must be strictly voluntary, as mandatory resettlement is unacceptable, Parliamentary Speaker László Kövér said in Luxembourg on Monday.

Threats to sanction member states that do not take in migrants “do not suggest a democratic disposition”, Kövér told a conference of EU house speakers. This is the same power politics that Hungarians had come to know “from another union” before 1990, he said.

Hungary is ready to make financial contributions to any efforts that aim to resolve the migrant crisis outside of Europe, he said.

Kövér said Hungary does not agree with the European Commission’s proposal to reform the Dublin system, as it is not based on the consensus of member states.

Hungary views the migrant crisis as a security issue first and foremost, Kövér said. He noted that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had presented an action plan dubbed “Schengen 2.0” aimed at upholding Europe’s security by protecting the Schengen system. Hungary’s stance is that the Dublin rules can only be reformed once there is a guarantee that Schengen rules can be properly enforced, he said.

The other big part of ending the crisis is stopping the migrant flow outside Europe, Kövér said. Genuine refugees and economic migrants should be dealt with separately and the EU should set up closed registration centres for asylum seekers, he added.

The EU must sign agreements with transit and origin countries to send migrants back, and these deals must be enforced, he insisted.

Kövér said Hungary views the EU as a partnership of equal, sovereign nation states as opposed to a “United States of Europe” concept. He said Hungary “cannot and will not ever compromise” on democracy or national sovereignty.

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