According to Government Spokesperson Zoltán Kovács, migration and the problems related to it continue to be the greatest challenge for the whole of Europe.

The Government Spokesperson, who held a presentation for Hungarian and British reporters at the Hungarian Embassy in London on Monday, declared: “Hungary is being criticized for not keeping to European values and not acting according to regulations, but from our perspective it would seem that it is the European Union that is not adhering to regulations”.

“Hungary strongly rejects any attempts to punish it for the fact that others did not act according to regulations in 2015-2016”, he added.

According to Mr. Kovács, “Any quota system or algorithm aimed at spreading the repercussions of illegal immigration throughout Europe is a bad idea”, adding that in his view “this is version of European solidarity that is impossible to realise”.

According to the Government Spokesperson, the Hungarian Government is strongly opposed to any approach that claims migration has any advantages, and in contrast is convinced that migration can be stopped at the EU’s borders.

“The Government also firmly rejects the principle that these days migration should be regarded as a human right”, he declared.

“Migration is extremely expensive, and integration, or assimilation as they often call it in Western Europe, is impossible, and Hungary will not accept any recommendation or measures that would create the problems that already exist in Western Europe in Hungary and its vicinity”, Mr. Kovács said at his press discussion in London on Monday.

On the subject of Britain’s exit from the European Union, he recalled last week’s visit to Budapest by British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and declared: “According to Hungary’s position the EU shouldn’t be thinking in terms of punishing Great Britain, but should set as its target a ‘fair Brexit’ and achieving a good exit solution, and Hungary is convinced that this is possible”.

However, according to Mr. Kovács it is too early to talk about future bilateral cooperation; the parties must wait until the 27 member states that will remain in the European Union come to a common standpoint on every issue relating to Brexit.

“Hungary is insisting on the fact that the rights already acquired by EU citizens living in Great Britain cannot suffer damage”, he stressed.

In reply to a question on the Stop Soros legislative package, the Government Spokesperson said the clear goal of the legislative package is to close legal loopholes relating to migration. “One serious problem is that many organisations that present themselves as being human rights organisations are to all intents and purposes assisting illegal migration”, he declared.

“Protecting the EU’s borders is the task of member states and EU organisations that exist for that purpose, there is no need for the involvement of non-governmental organisations, and in cases where humanitarian assistance is required that must be handled in a regulated manner”, Zoltán Kovács said at his press discussion in London on Monday.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)