“Hungary is exiting the adoption process of the Global Compact for Migration”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó announced at a press conference following Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting in Budapest.
“The primary issue for us is the security of Hungary and the Hungarian people, and this document is totally at odds with the country’s security interests”, Mr. Szijjártó said. “According to the Government’s position, the UN Global Compact for Migration is in conflict with common sense and also with the intent to restore European security”, he added.
“Hungary does not regard the goals and principles declared by the Compact as valid guidelines with regard to itself, in addition to which it will not be taking part in the summit of UN member state heads of state and government to be held in Marrakech in December, and if the UN General Assembly votes on the document, Hungary will be voting no”, he said, listing the Cabinet’s decisions.
The Minister called the document dangerous, extremist, biased, and an encouragement to migration, explaining that “it could serve as an inspiration for millions to set out from home”. In his opinion the fundamental premise of the Compact is that migration is a good and unavoidable phenomenon. “The Government regards this premise as unacceptable and regard migration as a bad process that has extremely serious security aspects”, he added.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade reminded the press out that series of inter-governmental negotiations on the Compact ended last week, following which the coordinators responsible for drawing up the document presented the text to the President of the UN General Assembly and requested that he put it forward for adoption at the upcoming UN summit in Marrakech.
He also recalled that during the drawing up of the Compact the Hungarian Government’s 12-point proposal had also been put forward, but in view of the fact that a decisive majority of UN member states are source countries for migration processes, the document regards migration as a fundamental human right, which is “totally at odds with the stipulations of international law”. “In addition, the document does not deal with the truly existing fundamental human rights of people who want nothing else than to be able to live in peace and security in their own homelands”, he added.
From among the elements of the migration package, he highlighted the fact that the text calls for countries to afford every single migrant all of the services that they otherwise afford their own citizens during the whole period of the migrating process, and at an equal level of quality. “In addition, it regards border protection as a human rights issue, prescribes training courses for migrants as one of its goals, expands opportunities to lodge complaints with relation to procedures conducted by national authorities, wishes to determine special discounts on bank transfers home by migrants, and aims to increase receiving capacities”, he listed.
Mr. Szijjártó also pointed out that during the course of the debate on the Compact it had been stated on several occasions that it will not be legally binding, but that in the end it prescribes that every country must establish its own national programme in the interests of implementing the contents of the document.
In reply to a question on whether infringement proceedings could be launched with relation to the “Stop Soros” legislative package, the Minister said: “We have got used to the fact that we protect European interests and the security of the European people instead of Brussels, and this is also the case on this occasion”. “Brussels’ migration policy has brought danger on Europe, one of the consequences of which is that 29 major terrorist attacks have occurred in Europe during the past three and a half years, which were committed by people with immigrant backgrounds”, he added.
“In contrast, Hungary regards migration as a security issue”, he declared, adding that “the Government is ready for the legal disputes and legal battle involved in the proceedings and will protect the ‘Stop Soros” Act, and by doing so will also protect the security of the Hungarian people”.
In reply to another question, the Minister confirmed that Hungary will not be allowing entry to a single illegal immigrant from boats aiming to dock on the shores of Italy or from anywhere else.
With relation to the fact that in an interview outgoing Slovakian Ambassador to Budapest Rastislav Kácer sharply criticised Hungary, Mr. Szijjártó said it is outrageous that Mr. Kácer is spreading lies about Hungary, adding that he would have taken the necessary diplomatic steps had he not been personally aware that Rastislav Kácer will not be continuing his work as a representative of the Slovakian Foreign Ministry. “Accordingly, we have heard the opinion of a Slovakian citizen, with which we do not agree in the slightest”, he said.
(MTI)
