On Friday, Minister of State for Government Communication Bence Tuzson told public television channel M1 that if a permanent distribution quota were to be introduced among EU Member States for accepting migrants who are arriving continuously, then hundreds of thousands of people could arrive in Hungary.

“We do not want this; even if certain people wish to accelerate this process, we will fight it in all EU forums – even through legal channels, if needed”, the Minister of State at the Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister said.

He emphasised that when joining the EU, Hungary had not make any commitments according to which “it would have to agree to receive large numbers of people, and would have to accept the possibility of Hungary changing as a result”.

Accepting these people is an issue of sovereignty, he said, adding that Hungary does not interfere with the decisions of other states, and expects the same from them.

In response to a question on potential cuts in EU funds for Member States which do not want to accept migrants, he said that Hungary is entitled to these funds “because back then, Hungary opened its markets in exchange for the provision of support for its development”.

This money cannot be linked to any other condition, Mr. Tuzson stressed – especially not to one which does not form part of any EU regulation affecting Hungary.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister / MTI)