Orban: State’s duty to act against organisers of migration – Interview

The state has a duty to act against the organisation of illegal migration, a crime that harms national security interests, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in an interview to public radio on Friday.

Brussels considers the organisation and the financial and legal support of migration a human rights issue, he said. But Hungary sees it as a national security issue, he said, adding that action must be taken against migration to protect the security of the Hungarian people.

Commenting on the proposed amendment to the constitution that relates to the “Stop Soros” bill, Orbán said protecting Hungary against illegal migration requires new rules that make Hungarian legal provisions crystal clear while repelling attacks from Brussels.

If the constitution prohibits the forced settlement of migrants in Hungary, then it will be much easier to draw up detailed regulations that are protected domestically and in the international arena, he said.

Orbán said that during a recent conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron he had made it clear that Hungary would never support European regulations that strip Hungarians of their right to say who can live in the country.

“Let’s make it crystal clear: Brussels cannot take away Hungary’s sovereignty,” he told Macron.

Commenting on a new campaign by rights organisation Human Rights Watch (HRW) aiming to get the European People’s Party to expel Hungary’s ruling Fidesz, he said this was a form of pressure exercised by US financier George Soros.

“George Soros wants to funnel his money through various organisations … to influence European politics in a way that is bad for Hungarians; he is corrosive,” Orbán said.

He said the constitutional amendment will also include the protection of the home and the protection of private life, stating that “people must not be bothered in their homes”. In a normal country, there is room to express opinions, but this freedom should not extend to bothering people in their own homes, he added.

Commenting on next year’s budget plans, he said unemployment, the budget deficit and public debt will be reduced, while wages will increase and employment and economic performance will grow.

The payroll tax will be reduced by a further two percentage points in 2019, and the tax preference for families with two children will be raised to 40,000 forints (EUR 125) a month, Orbán said.

Annual economic growth of above 4 percent projected for next year will enable the payment of pension premiums in addition to pension increases, he added.