In Kötcse, Somogy County, before an event entitled “Polgári Piknik” (Civil Picnic), Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told journalists that after the migrant quota referendum on 2 October a serious battle can be expected in Brussels over changes to European migration regulations.
He said that two of the European Commission’s decisions must be amended: one on the mechanism aimed at distributing migrants, for which there is no upper limit on the number of migrants affected; and another on facilitating family unification, which could lead to the number of migrants multiplying.
Those in favour of change are in the minority, and “after 2 October, we will have to be prepared for a life-and-death struggle to change these decisions. I cannot even tell for certain whether we will succeed”, Mr. Orbán said.
He pointed out that the referendum is about the future of Hungary, and it is not an issue of party politics. He added that those who do not vote will give the right to decide to others, and will be forced to accept the situation that emerges.
Regarding the Kötcse meeting, he said that he would be talking about the general state of Europe and those troubles which have led Hungary to the quota referendum, which is the consequence of a “general civilizational weakening”.
Mr. Orbán said that he will be standing up for the European Union and for Hungary’s membership of the European community and thus the European Union – and that this is something good. The EU, however, must be changed, so that its people feel comfortable in it, he added.
He said that the Kötcse meeting was being attended by outstanding philosophers, doctors, engineers and scientists, and he would ask them to explain everything to the people in a gentle and calm manner, and not to be afraid of debate.
In reply to a question, he said that the following will be on the agenda at the upcoming unofficial Bratislava EU summit: the effects of Brexit; the Ukraine-Russia conflict; the South European corridor through which Muslim migrants are arriving in Europe; and Italy, through which the European community is being invaded from the Mediterranean.