Interview with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán

Rio de Janeiro, August 23 (MTI) – Hungary will fully protect its borders regardless of whether or not Turkey carries out its threat to allow migrants into the European Union, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in an interview to the Tuesday edition of Brazilian daily Folha de S. Paulo.

Orban also said it was “impossible” to exempt Turkey from EU visa obligations.

The paper noted that in the migration deal signed between Turkey and the EU earlier this year, Brussels pledged to grant Turkey visa-free status. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to allow migrants to pass into the EU unless Turkish citizens are granted visa exemptions.

Orbán told the paper that the EU is unable to fulfil its promise to grant Turkey visa-free status. This is a “huge problem and a sensitive issue”, Orban said, adding, however, that he is unconcerned regarding Ankara’s threat to send migrants back to the bloc.

Turkey cannot carry out its threat because the Hungarian border is the EU’s “front gate” and “we are protecting our borders 100 percent,” Orban insisted.

The prime minister expressed his support for Turkey’s stability and Erdogan’s mandate as president. “If there is no stability in Turkey then the entire region will have a problem. We have to support the Turkish government,” said Orbán. He added, at the same time, that a possible return of the death penalty, which the government considered after the failed coup in July, could veer Turkey off the path towards the EU.

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On the topic of comments Orbán recently made about the US presidential race, the paper noted that the prime minister had said that out of the two major candidates’ foreign policy plans, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s plan was better for the EU.

The paper said Orbán was asked by Brazilian Foreign Minister Jose Serra at a reception on Sunday whether he was supporting Trump.

Orbán replied: “Yes, Trump’s foreign policy plan would be best for us. The Democrats think the migrant inflow into Europe doesn’t need to be controlled and this is very dangerous. Trump supports screening migrants. He is also against democracy promotion in other countries, and I agree with him on this.”

Regarding the impeachment proceedings against suspended Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, Orbán said Hungary’s interests lie in a swift end to the proceedings so that Brazil can have a stable society and government. Brazil has to be stable; it is a very strong country with natural resources and a very good demographic structure, he said. Unlike Europe, Brazil does not struggle with demographic ageing, he added.

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Asked whether the admission of migrants into the EU could solve its demographic problems, Orbán said “never”. “They [migrants] could cause an even more serious problem by establishing parallel societies in Europe.” Migrants have different cultural backgrounds and such parallel societies could destabilise European countries, the prime minister said. “We would like the Hungarian people to remain … an integrated society,” he added.

Photo: MTI

Source: MTI