Hungary is consistently opposed to all attempts which may seek to loosen the existing legal framework, in particular, in respect of illegal migration, and is also opposed to all attempts which seek to re-construe the existing rules and regulations, Government Spokesperson Zoltán Kovács told the Hungarian news agency MTI after a background discussion held at the Hungarian Embassy in Vienna on Monday.

The Government Spokesperson stated: a number of problems could have been prevented which several countries, including Austria are faced with today through compliance with the relevant regulations. In his view, it is necessary not only to comply with the existing rules and regulations, but there is also a need for adopting rules and regulations which can be complied with and enforced.

He took the view that if we do not follow the existing rules and regulations, we may try to protect the internal borders, but the Schengen system may well disintegrate.

He stressed: we must not give up sovereignty in areas which have to date fallen within the competence of the Member States. At the same time, he underlined: if they successfully identify the areas in which the parties can cooperate well, an effectively working system can be created in cooperation with the European Union.

At the background discussion held in Vienna, which was attended by representatives of the Austrian and foreign media, the amendment of the higher education legislation with an impact on the Central European University (CEU), the national consultation, and the importance of cooperation between Austria and Hungary and the Visegrád countries were also mentioned.

"Symbolic Hungarian affairs were brought up and discussed at the background discussion”, Government Spokesperson Zoltán Kovács told MTI. He said: the amendment of the higher education legislation or the effort to make the operation of organisations funded from abroad more transparent are issues which fall within Member State competence. "Yet, these are being turned into symbolic affairs with which they seek to attack Hungary’s general policies”, the Spokesperson said, and added: Hungary’s firm and undeterred migration policy is in the background of these attacks.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)