“Almost four years after the beginning of the migration crisis, many people are still waiting for ‘pan-European’ solutions, but there is no such solution on the horizon, and in view of the realities such a solution would not even be effective”, Zoltán Kovács said in London on Monday.

At a press conference for reporters and analysts held at the Hungarian Embassy in London, the Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister’s State Secretary for International Communications and Relations declared: “The actual and successful efforts with relation to this issue are being performed by EU member states”.

“Hungary is showing an example in this, primarily through reinforcing border security, but Italy has also begun to catch up recently. This also indicates that if there exists the political will and political common sense prevails, then a solution can be found to handling the situation”, Mr. Kovács said.

The State Secretary emphasised that Hungary was not the first to introduce such measures in view of the fact that similar steps has already been taken by Great Britain in Calais, Spain in North Africa, and by other countries on other points along the EU’s external border.

On relations with the European People’s Party (EPP), Mr. Kovács told those present: “Fidesz joined this party group of the European Parliament of its own free will, meaning nobody has the right to suspend or expel Fidesz”.

He stressed the Fidesz decided itself on the suspension of its EPP membership.

According to the State Secretary, the EPP is not moving towards the centre, but towards the left and the liberals, as clearly also proven by the way People’s Party MEPs voted on the Sargentini Report.

According to Mr. Kovács, this is primarily true of the Scandinavian and Western European member parties.

“Fidesz, however, is sticking to the fundamental values determined by the founders of the European People’s Party, and these are Christian democratic, centre-right values”, the State Secretary said at his press conference in London on Monday.

“Hungary’s approach to migration and the unbridled expression of its opinion on the issue is also what is behind the criticism of the Hungarian Government”, he declared. “We always say what we think, and we are serious about what we say”, Mr. Kovács said.

“This basic approach has consistently prevailed in Hungarian decision-making since 2010”, he added.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)