Brussels is attacking Hungary due to immigration, the European Commission is trying to put pressure on Hungary to „forcefully” achieve the adoption of the mandatory quotas and the elimination of the border closure, Government Spokesperson Zoltán Kovács said on Wednesday at a press conference held in Budapest.
The Government Spokesperson responded to the remarks of Frans Timmermans, First Vice-President of the European Commission, to the effect that the Brussels body will resort to all possible means in order to protect the fundamental values of the EU in Hungary.
Mr Kovács said that an arrangement will have to be reached regarding the issue of migration in the second half of the year, and this is why they are trying to force Hungary to withdraw its measures. Hungary is ready to engage in talks, but is not prepared to yield an inch on the position it has with respect to the issue of migration, the Government Spokesperson stated.
Mr Kovács also responded to Frans Timmermans’ comments concerning the amendment of the higher education legislation and the law on non-governmental organisations.
Regarding the former, he said that the legislative phase had been closed. Laws cannot be suspended, but this does not mean that there is no solution. The parties must engage in talks, and the Prime Minister has appointed Kristóf Altusz to lead the negotiations, he added. According to the Government, there are no conditions in the law that cannot be met. The objective of the legislation is to ensure that the same rules should apply to all universities operating in Hungary, the Government Spokesperson said, adding: „the rector of the Soros university and the Soros organisations intentionally mislead public opinion".
In response to the proposition that according to the United States there is no scope on a constitutional level for an inter-governmental agreement, Mr Kovács said that the wording of the law provides that agreements can also be concluded at the level of member states. He said that the amendment of the law has nothing to do with the freedom of learning or the autonomy of universities; it is a mere regulatory issue.
Regarding the NGO legislation, he said that the organisations actively supporting immigration evidently receive major funding from abroad, and are as such under foreign influence. This is information that every Hungarian citizen must have access to.
The proposal serving to create transparency was submitted by the parliamentary group of Fidesz, and enjoys the Government’s support, he added.
Mr Kovács remarked that the legislation is based on the so-called FARA law (Foreign Agents Registration Act) which has been in force in the United States since the 1930s. However, the Hungarian legislation is more lenient on a number of elements than the US law.
(MTI)
