A joint declaration adopted by the ministers of justice of the EU in Bratislava on 23 August 2016 includes the following statement: “The Member States of the European Union are ready to do everything possible in the future to suppress growing radicalism and extremism”.

The two-day conference, entitled Radicalism is on the increase in the EU, was organised in the Slovak capital on the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Totalitarian Regimes. Slovakia holds the rotating EU Presidency in this six-month period. At the discussion Hungary was represented by the Parliamentary Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice, Pál Völner.

In an interview with the Hungarian news agency MTI, Mr. Völner said that participants discussed how to give a uniform response to tackling and solving emerging problems. He called attention to the fact that, for instance, even migration is handled differently in the Eastern half of Europe than in the Western half. Whereas Eastern Europe would manage the migration issue by halting immigration at the Schengen borders, Westerners approach the problem differently; this is a consequence of the fact that, following migration for two or three generations, large numbers of Muslims already live there.

The Hungarian secretary of state said that from his point of view too little was said at the conference about how to solve the issue where it arises. He explained that “The affairs of the states from where most people are arriving in Europe should be put in order. I am convinced that it would be a more economical solution if, by creating better living conditions, we could encourage the masses to stay at home”.

The Slovak justice minister Lucia Žitňanská told journalists that the main theme of the conference was to launch an open debate on growing radicalism in Europe and to exchange experiences on how to tackle this phenomenon most effectively.

“The problem of Europe today is not only the state of the economy or of security, but also the fact that part of the population is inclined to support actions which are extremist and against the prevailing system,” Ms. Žitňanská said.

According to Ms. Žitňanská, the ministers highlighted that radicalisation is, first of all, rooted in the poverty of certain social groups. Extremist views must be prevented from gaining ground in politics again, lest there be a repeat of the events of the 20th century, and the rise to power of totalitarian regimes.

As for attitudes towards the totalitarian past, Mr. Völner said that even at the conference a twin approach was noticeable. Eastern European participants, who had experienced Communism first-hand, spoke differently compared to the Western participants, who lack such experience, he said.

According to the declaration, it is a basic requirement that the rule of law, the foundation stone of democracy, should function in every area of life. In his interview with MTI Mr. Völner affirmed that “We shall always, in every instance, honour the basic rules of democracy”.

Tibor Navracsics, the European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, who also participated at the conference, pointed out that “While justice ministers have legal measures available, education can prevent the emergence of problems in the future. Education must be organised in such a way as to make democracy attractive to the young, too”.

(MTI)