“The UN Global Compact for Migration is the betrayal of Europe, because it at odds with the interests of the European people”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó stressed at a press conference with the Austrian Vice Chancellor.

Mr. Szijjártó said that the Global Compact represents a serious danger to Europe, because they want to use it to legalise illegal migration and portray it as a fundamental human right, and accordingly Hungary will not be voting to adopt the Compact at next year’s session of the UN General Assembly.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade congratulated the Austrian Vice Chancellor on the fact that Austria will also not be adopting the Compact. He also stated that Hungary regards border protection as the duty of states, and accordingly will not be relinquishing any part of that, because “the ones who want to take it over are those who want to organise migration”.

“The reason for the attack against Hungary is that the country’s position on migration is at odds with the European mainstream”, the Minister continued, confirming that Hungary will not be an “immigrant country” and does not support the changing of the make-up of the population of the European continent, and accordingly the Government rejects the system of mandatory quotas.

“Migration can be stopped, and we have proven this to Brussels”, the Minister underlined.

Mr. Szijjártó also spoke about the fact that he had asked the Austrian Vice Chancellor to provide assistance to ensure the continued opportunity for legal border crossing between the two countries, if possible, with as regular border crossing stations as possible. He also assured the Vice Chancellor that Hungary will continue to defend the external border of the EU and the Schengen Area.

Heinz-Christian Strache told the press that Hungary had behaved in an exemplary fashion in 2015 when it protected the external borders of the European Union and the Schengen Area. The Vice Chancellor also spoke about the fact that the parties regard the “Soros-Sargentini Report” as invalid, because abstentions were not taken into account during the vote. In their opinion every vote cast should have been counted, and accordingly Hungary’s critical observation is justified.

The Vice Chancellor highlighted the fact that Austria does not agree with the contents of 17 out of the UN Global Compact’s 23 points, and as a result will not be voting in favour of the Compact, because Austria must be protected from ”bad development”.

He added that the debate has also begun in other countries, including Switzerland, Poland, Croatia, Japan, Israel and Italy. “Illegal migration must not be confused with legal migration”, he underlined.

Vice Chancellor Strache indicated that Austrian border protection will be extended by a further six months in November, particularly in view of the current Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. “Until the EU’s borders are permanently secured, we must protect our borders ourselves”, he said.

He explained that in the case of small border crossing points with dirt roads along the Burgenland border, the law had never provided for the passage of motor vehicles. “However, we must strive to ensure that a solution is born that is good for both parties”, the Austrian Vice Chancellor said.

(MTI/Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)