“The UN Global Compact for Migration clearly poses a threat to the whole world in view of the fact that it will lead to new waves of migration”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said in a telephone statement to Hungarian news agency MTI from Lichtenstein, where is he is on an official visit.

According to the politician, the document includes everything required to achieve this and nothing that would facilitate the stopping of migration. “This Compact concentrates exclusively on the interests of migrants and does not deal with the interests of people who would like to live in secure and peaceful conditions in their own homelands”, the Minister stressed.

“The fact that in the event 40 countries did not vote in favour of the Compact at the session of the UN General Assembly, clearly indicates that efforts to ensure that the Global Compact for Migration becomes a basis of reference are not credible and are unacceptable”, Mr. Szijjártó underlined.

The Minister reported on the fact that he had held lengthy negotiations in Vaduz with his counterpart from Liechtenstein, Aurelia Frick, during which the issue of migration was a weighty topic on the agenda. He explained that in Liechtenstein the Parliament also held a debate on the UN Global Compact for Migration, and the legislation voiced serious concerns in view of which the Liechtenstein government, which had originally supported the proposal, did not vote yes to the Compact at the session of the UN General Assembly, but instead abstained.

“I explained that Hungary will continue to not allow a single illegal migrant into the country in future, and that we regard border security as an issue of national security and will be protecting our borders, which we regard as falling exclusively within a national sphere of competence”, Mr. Szijjártó emphasised.

The United States exited the negotiations on the Global Compact at the very beginning. Although Hungary did take part in negotiations throughout until the final draft of the document was agreed upon, but in view of the fact that all of its proposals were rejected it indicated that it will not be taking part in the adoption process and shall not be regarding a single point of the Compact as compulsory with relation to Hungary.

The UN Global Compact for Migration is the first global international agreement on the issue, but is not compulsory. Its official name is the Marrakesh Treaty on Migration. The main goal of the agreement, which was adopted in the Moroccan city in December of last year, is to do away with and make legal the often dangerous and illegal movement of people across borders, which has not only become an “industry” throughout the world via the activities of people smugglers, but also provides an opportunity for people who are searching for economic opportunities.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade told the press that tax policy was also discussed at the meeting in view of the fact that Liechtenstein’s economic policy is also based on low taxes. He highlighted that the parties had agreed that it is countries that practice fiscal discipline that are able to set low taxes. They also agreed that low taxes represent a competitive advantage, and that it is part of national sovereignty for every country to be able to decide on its own tax policy and levels of tax.

“For this reason, we are against all efforts to harmonise tax levels in Europe, because that would lead to tax increases in both Liechtenstein and Hungary, and this is something that neither government wants”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó pointed out.

(MTI)