“Brussels’ misguided immigration policy is endangering the security and unity of Europe”, Károly Kontrát declared following a meeting of European Union Interior Ministers in Bratislava.
The Ministry of Interior’s Parliamentary State Secretary told reporters the main topic of discussion had been migration, and especially border protection, as well as the European Coast and Border Guard.
“During the meeting, the Hungarian delegation was also asked about the national referendum on the compulsory resettlement quota, which has been set for early October; the question concerned whether ‘the government was helping people to develop a standpoint on the issue’, to which I was able to provide a clear answer: we regard the compulsory resettlement quota as unacceptable”, the State Secretary said.
According to Mr. Kontrát, at the meeting EU Commissioner for Migration and Home Affairs Dimitris Avramopoulos said that the movement of migrants will be a determining factor in the world until the 23rd century, while a Swedish delegate cited the fact that there are currently 60 million refugees and 240 million migrants on the move throughout the world.
“These figures also prove that determined action is needed to combat illegal immigration, (…) and this is another reason why Hungary’s policies, which are aimed at protecting the external borders of the Schengen Area, are correct”, he declared, pointing out that almost ten thousand police and military personnel are currently on duty to protect the external borders of Hungary and the Schengen Area.
Mr. Kontrát called the European Parliament’s decision to establish a 1500-strong European Coast and Border Guard a joint success, stressing that Hungary has supported the creation of such a unit from the very beginning and will continue to provide all possible assistance to the initiative’s goals in future.
The State Secretary also told the press that he had proposed a meeting with Austrian Minister of Interior Wolfgang Sobotka to discuss the termination of border controls on the Austrian-Hungarian border, which Hungary regards as unnecessary. “This is causing difficulties for tens of thousands of European citizens and we regard it as unnecessary in view of the fact that the best way of acting against illegal migration is by protecting the Schengen Area’s external borders”, Mr. Kontrát explained.
At the press conference following the meeting of Interior Ministers, Slovakian Minister of Interior Robert Kalinák spoke about the joint standpoints achieved during the meeting: “The protection of external borders is fundamental to preventing illegal immigration, in addition to which cooperation between the migrants’ countries of origin, transit countries and receiving countries must be tightened in the upcoming months, within the framework of which the possibility of performing safe extraditions must be established”.
Dimitris Avramopoulos told reporters: “Next week the European Commission will be putting forward its second package of proposals aimed at the total reform of refugee policy. The goal of the package is the development of a suitably operating system based on the principle that we must help those in need and punish those who want to abuse the system”. However, the EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship said it was important to tighten cooperation between Member States with regard to handling the issue of migration. “Europe must act in the spirit of joint responsibility and solidarity”, he said.