“Hungary and Austria agree that refugee policy must begin with the protecting our borders”, Minister of State for Government Communication Bence Tuzson highlighted on Hungarian M1 television’s Wednesday morning current affairs program.

On his working visit to Vienna on Tuesday, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán held talks with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.

“The two countries agree that protecting the borders must be placed at the focus of refugee policy”, Mr. Tuzson said. “A further step has been added to our joint stand in Brussels”, he added.

Speaking on Kossuth Radio’s “180 minutes” program, the Minister of State for Government Communication said it was important for there to be agreement between Hungary and its Western neighbour on fundamental issues that determine the future, such as migration. “It is only through joint action that we can assure that Hungary does not change from a security and cultural perspective”, Mr. Tuzson said, pointing out that such changes could also cause an economic downturn.

“The migration policy that Europe is currently practicing is destroying the Schengen system”, the Minister of State stressed, adding that “If we do not take joint action the Schengen system will collapse, and that is not in the interests of either Hungary or Austria”.

With relation to the Austrian social welfare system, Mr. Tuzson said: “Fair procedure is required”. “Hungarians working in Austria who pay their taxes are due the same level of services as Austrians. This is also what European law dictates”, he added.

(MTI)