“The danger of the mandatory relocation quota has not passed, it will be on the agenda again at the 20-21 December session of the Council of the European Union, and this is why the constitutional amendment is important”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said.
On Kossuth Radio’s “Sunday Paper” programme, Mr. Szijjártó stressed that the Government continues to insist on its standpoint that there can be no mandatory relocation quotas. However, there will be a “huge battle” within the European Union, “they want to ram this issue down our throats at all costs”, and this is why we must protect the country, including via the Fundamental Law.
“On 8 November in Parliament it will transpire who wants to protect Hungary. Those who do not vote in favour of the constitutional amendment do not want to protect Hungary”, the Minister said.
Mr. Szijjártó also spoke about the fact that certain organisations are criticising Hungary for having asked the opinion of the people of Hungary at a referendum concerning an issue that determines the future of Hungary and the European Union. “There are few more democratic instruments than a public referendum, but the fact that certain international organisations are attempting to interfere in Hungary’s internal affairs is not democratic”, he added. At the same time, there was a referendum in Holland on the Ukraine-EU free trade agreement, “no one had a problem with that”, he noted.
“Hypocrisy” is happening in Europe; they are saying that Hungary is using a referendum to prevent a European issue, whereas we are not talking about any kind of common European issue. “The deliberate destruction of Europe” is not a European issue, Mr. Szijjártó stressed.
A major “campaign of lies” has begun against Hungary in recent years, but the accusations are based on lies, which we must reject in the strongest possible terms, the Minister said. Last week, the Member States of the United Nations voted Hungary a member of the UN Human Rights Council, which is an unprecedented success and people would do better to listen to that opinion.
He also spoke about the fact that Hungary had not closed its borders and everyone is free to enter the country if they abide by the regulations. Hungary, in accordance with its obligations, has closed the green border, which is an eternal Schengen border.
Nobody can expect Hungary to look on idly while people contravene the country’s borders and with it its sovereignty”, he noted.