After his talks with Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann and Vice Chancellor Reinhold Mitterlehner in Vienna on Friday, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that Austria also acknowledges that a border control system similar to that on the Hungarian-Serbian border must be set up on the Hungarian-Croatian border as well, in the interest of guaranteeing European norms in border crossing.
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“We are in the same boat as Austria”
At an international press conference held at the Hungarian Embassy in Vienna, the Prime Minister told the press that he had initiated the meetings with Austria’s political leaders, whom he reassured of Hungary’s wish to preserve the traditionally good relations between the two countries. He said that he had gained the impression, however, that Austria had withdrawn its friendship from Hungary in particularly difficult times; nonetheless, the Hungarian government is prepared to put all that behind them. He said that his government is prepared to simply forget that an Austrian politician had likened Hungary’s recent actions to those of the Nazis. He described this as absurd coming from someone in such a position.
He stressed that the talks were constructive and took place in an atmosphere of goodwill, and that while there were differences, everyone was eager to overcome them. Therefore the Prime Minister said that “Austrian-Hungarian relations are better now than they were at 8.00 a.m. this morning”.
The Prime Minister suggested to his Austrian partners that the two countries should attempt to help each another, because from now on, in a legal sense, they are “in the same boat”: as regards migration, the situation on the Hungarian-Croatian border is the same as it is on the Austrian-Hungarian border.
A border control system must be set up on the Croatian border as well
Mr. Orbán said that Hungary has two options. The first of these, proposed by Croatia, is the establishment of a migration corridor leading to Austria; this was rejected by the Austrian leadership, as it is contrary to EU and international regulations. The Prime Minister said that there could be no corridor to Austria, as a corridor cannot be set up without the acceptance of the country at the end of it.
Therefore the task in hand is to create a border control system between Hungary and Croatia like the one on the Serbian border, which has met expectations. This would be in order to guarantee European norms in border crossing, the Prime Minister said, highlighting that this is something that Austria itself acknowledges – though not wholeheartedly.
Prior to the planned closure of the Hungarian-Croatian green border, the Hungarian prime minister will visit the Member States of the Visegrád cooperation (V4), while members of the Hungarian government will visit Croatia to secure the support necessary for its successful operation. Justifying this, Mr. Orbán added that it is not enough to tell the world what Hungary is doing and why solely through the media.
In answer to a question, he stated that the physical border barrier will be a double line of defence on the Hungarian-Croatian border also. Regarding the expected date for securing the border, the Prime Minister said that Hungary does not need to wait for the completion of the second defence line for the green border to be secured.
Mr. Orbán underlined that, when border closure takes effect on the Hungarian-Croatian border, there will be a transparent, clear and legally regulated situation. According to the relevant EU regulations, only those individuals who have already been registered in Croatia will be allowed to enter Hungary; while Budapest is proceeding on the assumption that the Croatian authorities will meet their obligations, there are doubts as to whether this is indeed the case. However, without the border fence and closure of the border, the Dublin refugee regulations cannot be enforced with respect to those crossing the green border; this is another reason why border protection is needed, he explained.
The Prime Minister pointed out that the closure of the border is not a labour of love. Hungary does not want to have a border fence on the Croatian border, but would like to create a situation of friendship and cooperation; however, the current circumstances do not permit this, he said. He told the press that he had asked for alternatives from every European leader at the EU summit held on Wednesday, including President of the European Council Donald Tusk, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, and President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz; none of them could offer a better solution, and Mr. Orbán said that he also could not see a better one than that now in place on the Serbian border.
We do not want to build a fence on the Hungarian-Slovenian border
At the same time, the Prime Minister informed the press that the Hungarian government is not planning to erect a fence between Slovenia and Hungary. He said that groundworks are in progress on the Hungarian-Slovenian border in order to clear a zone along the border, thereby permitting the installation of mobile barriers. However, as Slovenia is a member of the Schengen zone, there is no scope for building anything on this border section which could not be removed within a day or which Slovenia did not consent to, he stated.
In answer to a question regarding the fences which are currently being built on the Hungarian borders, the Prime Minister said that there is not enough wire in Europe to meet Hungary’s needs, and consignments have already been ordered from China as well. Through the Hungarian law enforcement agencies, however, machinery has been procured which will enable these elements to be manufactured locally in the future.
He said that he would not ask anyone to judge the border barrier from an aesthetic point of view; he described it as having an improvised appearance in places.
Mr. Orbán said that the potential flow of modern-day mass migration is unlimited, but European leaders have not yet realised this. He commented that as a proposal on joint patrolling of Greece’s borders had not been approved at the EU summit, people must not be surprised if the flood of people moving from southern to northern Europe does not subside.
At the same time, the Prime Minister found it objectionable that, according to a European Commission working document, immigration is not a problem, but a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to remedy the demographic problems. He described this approach as mistaken, saying that no clearer invitation could be sent to migrants.
If we cannot protect the Hungarian border, Schengen will collapse
In answer to a question, the Prime Minister pointed out that the protection of Hungary’s southern borders is also the protection of Austria’s, Bavaria’s and, ultimately, Europe’s borders. He said that if we fail in this, Schengen will collapse.
He said that if Hungary is unable to protect its southern borders, the number of people arriving en route for Austria and Germany could be 10,000 per day, and as many as 250,000 over the next few months.
Mr. Orbán highlighted that, from a political point of view, the fence being built on the Croatian border presents a major dilemma, as Zagreb is not a member of the Schengen Area but is a member of the European Union. He pointed out that Hungary enjoys the benefits of the Schengen system, but this also involves obligations every now and then, and Hungary agrees to meet those obligations.
The Hungarian prime minister said that it is not a pleasant feeling to build fences, and the Hungarian police are attempting to protect the borders in the most humane way possible.
In answer to a question, the Prime Minister praised Serbia, and said that cooperation with Belgrade was exemplary, even in the most difficult moments. This had only faltered once, he said: during the violent incident at Röszke, where he said attacks had been launched from Serbian territory, which the Serbian authorities had failed to prevent. Apart from this incident, he stated that in the present situation Serbia has behaved as would be expected of an EU candidate country.
According to his original programme, the Prime Minister was also going to meet Heinz-Christian Strache, Chairman of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), but this meeting was cancelled. In reply to a question, Mr. Orbán said that he was aware of reservations with regard to the FPÖ, but that in the light of the recent Burgenland state elections and the resulting coalition which was formed there, he believed that it was possible to engage in talks with the party. (The FPÖ, which is regarded as an extreme-right party, won 15 per cent of the votes, and formed a coalition with the larger government party, the Social Democrats (SPÖ).) At the same time, he said, Austria’s leaders had requested him not to go through with this meeting; he had complied with their request, as he was in Austria to improve relations.