“The statement adopted in Marrakech within the framework of the Rabat Process could lead to a fresh wave of migration, and for this reason Hungary did not join the political declaration”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó declared on Hungarian M1 television’s Thursday morning current affairs program.

“Because the declaration adopted at the meeting held with the participation 31 European and 26 African countries concerns the fact that migration is a positive process that must be encouraged, and accordingly new migration channels must be opened and migrants cannot be differentiated based on their legal status”, he explained.

“According to the statement, which Hungary was alone in refusing to support, the countries of Europe are supporting the position of the African countries. And this is totally at odds with the Rabat Process that began ten years ago, the original goal of which was precisely to use European funding to realise development projects in Africa in the interests of reducing emigration” he stressed.

“Based on the mandate that the Hungarian Government has received from the electorate, it is its explicit duty to put forward its anti-immigration standpoint at every opportunity”, he said.

The Minister also said the Austrian Government’s decision to reduce the level of family allowance payable to Hungarians who are working in Austria, but whose children live in Hungary, was unfair and unjust. “They are fulfilling the exact same tax and contribution payment requirements as Austrian citizens, and accordingly based on the European treaties they are entitled to the exact same level of benefits”, he said.

“In such a situation the European Commission must take action, and it can make no other decision than that the Austrian Government is breaking European law”, the Minister said.

Speaking on Kossuth Radio’s Thursday morning “180 Minutes” program, Mr. Szijjártó also criticised the statement adopted in Marrakech, and cited EC Commissioner for Migration Dimitris Avramopoulos, who stated outright: Migration must be supported because while the population is increasing in Africa, it is decreasing in Europe. According to the Minister, this would lead to Europe solving its demographic problems using the African population.

“In contrast, the position of the Hungarian Government is that we must solve demographic problems ourselves through supporting families, and modernising the vocational training and higher education systems”, he added.

With relation to the Austrian Government’s decision to reduce the level of family allowance, he confirmed Hungary’s standpoint according to which by doing so Austria is breaking European law.

“Wherever Hungarian people suffer unfair treatment or discrimination, it is the duty of the Hungarian Government to take action against it”, Mr. Szijjártó said.

(MTI)