On Thursday Csaba Dömötör, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister, said that the migrant quota referendum, which the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (TASZ) is now attempting to “torpedo”, represents one of the most important institutions of democracy.
Mr. Dömötör said this in reaction to a call by TASZ, in which it urged citizens not to vote, or to invalidate their ballot papers in the referendum on 2 October. In one of its previous statements TASZ wrote that the referendum is “inhuman and misleading”, and that the campaign “incites hatred and is bogus, as this unlawful referendum is unsuited to asserting the will of the nation”.
The State Secretary pointed out that the latter statement is “incomprehensible”, as holding referenda is among the most important of democratic institutions; it guarantees that “we can make our own decisions on issues which define our future”. On 2 October citizens will have the opportunity to state their opinions on whether Brussels has the right to decide who Hungarians should live together with, he added.
Mr. Dömötör said that “it is absolutely disgraceful that an organisation meant to defend rights is fighting to prevent citizens stating their opinions on issues which fundamentally define Hungary’s future”.
He pointed out that TASZ is also aware that Brussels has already decided on the establishment of a new compulsory resettlement procedure, under which thousands of migrants would be settled in Hungary. “This is a risk which we cannot and must not take. This is why we have to say ‘no’”, he stressed.
If TASZ really believes that democratic rights are important, then – instead of attempting to “torpedo” the referendum – they should give an honest answer to the question of whether or not it supports compulsory relocation”, he added.