Trócsányi: Hungary referendum ‘alarm bell’ for EU

Rome (MTI) – Hungary’s upcoming quota referendum will sound as an “alarm bell” to the European Union, which suffers from a “lack of democracy”, Justice Minister Laszló Trócsányi said in an interview published online by Italian daily La Repubblica on Friday.

In his interview, Trócsányi said that migration calls for a “broad, open and democratic” discussion involving the people of the EU, but “too many politicians are wary” of such debates, to the benefit of extremists.

The minister called it unacceptable that on migration issues “external authorities” which “nobody elected” should pass decisions rather than the peoples of each member country. The EU, he argued, must not change the composition of the population, culture or traditions of member states.

Answering a question, Trócsányi said that Hungary is proud of its EU membership and is “aware of its benefits” but refuses “to give up sovereignty over its national identity”.

Concerning Sunday’s referendum, the minister said that if just 3.8 million people turn up at the polls – and the vote is rendered invalid by low turnout – “its message will still be valid in a political sense”.

The full interview can be read in Italian at http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2016/09/30/news/intervista_la_szlo_tro_csa_nyi-148841883/?ref=HREC1-16

Source: MTI