It is disappointing and incomprehensible that the leader of a neighbouring country should talk in this vein about an issue which is causing Hungary as well as Europe immense difficulties amounting to an historic challenge. The Ambassador of Austria to Hungary has therefore been summoned to the Ministry for this afternoon, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó told the Hungarian News Agency MTI on Tuesday in response to the words of Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann.

In reference to the Hungarian border fence, Werner Faymann expressed his view in a statement made on Monday evening that it is wrong to believe that the problem can be solved in this manner as the human traffickers have options to avoid physical obstacles. The solution can only be a political one, he stressed. The Chancellor indirectly criticised Hungary’s procedure of allowing migrants to travel on to Austria.

The Hungarian Minister pointed out in this context: „one would expect the leader of a neighbouring country to make statements in the light of facts pertaining to the issue”, rather than make false accusations.

The Chancellor’s statement is all the more dangerous as it is capable of stirring up public emotion, and it has been only too plain to see in the last few days that „misconstrued and irresponsible statements” can provoke aggression and create dangerous situations in Hungary, Mr Szijjártó said.

The Minister pointed out: the Austrian Chancellor’s claim that Hungary is allowing migrants to travel through its territory is untrue, and so is the claim that Hungary is not doing anything to resolve the migration situation. Hungary is being criticised in the EU for the very reason that „we are among the few who are actually taking genuine measures” to protect the country and Europe, he said.

Mr Szijjártó took the view that it is Hungary’s duty to protect the EU’s exterior Schengen border, and „it is very strange that some European leaders are trying to induce us not to do so”. It is a strange situation that European heads of government encourage other EU Member States not to observe the laws of the European Union, he explained.

The Minister stressed: the Schengen regulations prescribe the protection of the exterior border as an explicit obligation. „We shall comply with these EU regulations even if some European leaders encourage us not to do so, and criticise us for complying with EU law”. Those who observe the regulations of the EU are the true Europeans, the Europeans who are faithful to the values of Europe, the Minister pointed out.

Mr Szijjártó said: Hungary requested the positions of Germany and the European Commission a few days ago as to what protocol Hungary should follow in the present situation, and they both confirmed in their answers that „naturally, our duty is to comply with EU law". "This is what we are doing, and shall continue to do in the future, and reject all statements which are based on lies and are capable of provoking anger and aggressive situations” such as the one that the Austrian Chancellor made this time, he said.

The Minister told MTI that the Austrian Ambassador to Budapest has been summoned to the Ministry for this afternoon.

The Minister expressed his view that the EU is forcefully pursuing an erroneous policy as simply designating quotas is an invitation to migrants and human traffickers, while the problem should be resolved at its roots.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/MTI)