“The Government supports the stricter regulation of non-governmental organisations that ‘taxi’ migrants, but says no to ideas according to which pressure on Italy should be reduced by forcing mandatory transfers and resettlements onto member states”, Deputy Interior Minister Károly Kontrát said in a statement to Hungarian news agency MTI on Tuesday.

Mr. Kontrát informed the press that at interior policy day of the informal session of the Council of the European Union in Tallinn on 6 June, the Hungarian delegation he led had represented the standpoint that in view of the extreme migration situation in Italy, Hungary continues to regard stopping migration and protecting the European Union’s borders as the EU’s top priority.

The Parliamentary State Secretary said EU interior ministers had welcomed the Italian initiative according to which tangible and determined steps and measures must occur as soon as possible with relation to NGOs that are helping migrants cross the Mediterranean. He stressed that Hungary was among the first to draw the attention of the Hungarian and European public to the fact that non-transparent, foreign-funded organisations are playing a major role and have a serious responsibility with regard to the migration pressure being applied to Europe. “These organisations often encourage illegal immigrants to simply break the law, are supporting the illegal crossing of borders and are cooperating with people smugglers”, he said, criticising the fact that instead of easing the migration crisis their actions are in fact making the situation worse. “This also represents a risk to public safety and national security”, he added.

“This is exactly why Parliament, with the clear support of the Hungarian people, had adopted the new Act on the Transparency of Foreign-Funded Organisations, which is aimed at making the activities of foreign-funded “pro-migrant organisations” transparent”, Mr. Kontrát said, adding that it was encouraging that Italy, which plays a key role in migration, has also realised the importance of this.

The Deputy Interior Minister said that the Hungarian Government for determined steps to also be taken at European level on the issue, but will continue to say no to ideas such as the action plan put forward last week by the European Commission, according to which pressure on Italy should be reduced by forcing mandatory transfers and resettlements on member states.

Mr. Kontrát informed the press that in his speech he had stressed that the goal of the European Union must be the total reduction and stoppage of migratory currents, as well as the prevention of illegal migration in transit countries and countries of origin before immigrants arrive in Europe. Joint EU migration policy should also be acting primarily to achieve this goal, he added.

With relation to reaccepting immigrants, the Deputy Interior Minister stressed that facilitating cooperation with third countries is of key importance to Hungary in the interests of increasing the rate of expulsion. “It is not acceptable that we should be providing benefits to third countries that are not willing to cooperate with regard to reaccepting their own citizens”, he said in the statement.

(Ministry of Interior/MTI)