“The referendum on the mandatory relocation quota to be held on 2 October is not about Hungary’s membership of the European Union; all rumours to that affect are false and unsubstantiated”, Government Spokesperson Zoltán Kovács declared in Brussels.

At his international press conference held in the Belgian capital, Mr. Kovács stressed that the Hungarian Government is “fully committed” to the European Union and its core values.

As he explained, the referendum is about the future of the continent and the EU mandatory relocation quota, the introduction of which is based on an “unlawful” decision and which “is fraught with many dangers” and is threatening the Schengen system, in addition to which there is proof that terrorists have infiltrated Europe together with the mass influx of migrants.

Even a voluntary quota would be a bad idea because it motivates immigration, on top of which it does not work because people who are resettled within the framework of such a system will return to their original target destinations within a matter of days or weeks, he added.

With reference to the Hungarian referendum, Mr. Kovács said that it would have both political and legal consequences and it will be impossible to ignore the result. “It is not for anyone else to decide who we should live with”, he said, adding that “political blackmail will not work”.

The Spokesperson explained the Hungarian Government’s migration proposals, the central element of which is reinforcing EU borders and the Schengen system and putting a stop to illegal migration. “We must take assistance to those in need, not bring the problem to Europe”, he said.

Mr. Kovács said that in his opinion the fact that the majority of new immigrants are requesting asylum regardless of whether or not they are actually eligible for asylum status poses an unsolvable problem for most Member States, and especially for Germany and the Scandinavian countries. According to the Spokesperson this is precisely why so-called hot spots for processing asylum requests should be set up outside the borders of the European Union.

In addition, Mr. Kovács also stated that the Hungarian authorities will not be readmitting any of the migrants who passed through the territory of Hungary last year in view of the fact that Hungary has upheld Dublin and Schengen regulations throughout and has conformed fully to all related requirements. Hungary will not take responsibility instead of other countries that did not act according to the stipulations of the agreement or who sent migrants an invitation to come to Europe”, he declared.

(MTI)