Wednesday’s events have confirmed the legitimacy of the legal, security and live-force border fence, János Lázár, the Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office said at his press conference „Governmentinfo 23 – What does the Government do and why?” which he held jointly with State Secretary for Government Communications András Giró-Szász.
Hungary is ready for theoretical debate
The Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office told the press that Hungary continues to remain opposed to an EU quota system to be set up with a view to determining the distribution of refugees on theoretical grounds, but after the protection of the borders, it will be ready to engage in a debate which is about the criteria which may be enforced for helping the countries where there are migrants in large numbers.
At his Thursday press conference, Mr Lázár said that the weeks which have elapsed since the announcement concerning the construction of the security border fence on 17 June prove that Hungary is the only EU Member State which is able to comply with the Schengen Agreement. He pointed out that, as a result, there is effectively hardly anyone in need of care at the reception centres in Hungary today.
He continued: now that the reception centres are empty, in observance of the valid position, while Hungary is opposed to the quotas on theoretical grounds, it may join the theoretical debate regarding the criteria which may be enforced with a view to helping the countries where there are migrants in large numbers.
Mr Lázár took the view concerning the country’s international reputation that there have been manifestations aimed at ostracising and branding the country and the Hungarian people in such multitude recently that may threaten to convey serious consequences in the short term and also in the long run.
He said that what the Austrian Chancellor took the liberty to say in the past month about Hungary and the things that the Romanian Prime Minister does with daily regularity amount to nothing less than insults to all the Hungarian people.
They are both guilty of hate speech against all the Hungarian people, he said.
In his words, other countries now criticising Hungary, too, have been compelled to resort to similar police measures, and it was most certainly not a “pleasurable turn of events” that the police were required to deploy some degree of force, even if it was necessary and proportionate.
We have no reason to be joyous, there is no cause for celebration, he said, adding: he finds the footage received from the vicinity of the Röszke border crossing station shocking.
The border fence is the only effective means of defence
The head of the Prime Minister’s Office also pointed out: Wednesday’s events have confirmed the legitimacy of the legal, security and live-force border fence.
One may argue about how this concept has been implemented; however, at this point in time, against the background of all the “European blah-blah-blah”, this is the only effective measure which has been taken in the interest of the protection of the border. If the direction of migration turns towards Hungary from Croatia or Romania, the Government will resort to the same solution, he highlighted, adding: the police and the defence forces are prepared for providing full protection. In his view, the route of human traffickers has changed already.
The Minister believes it is a remarkable fact – which deserves more attention – that the migration we observed was an organised campaign, migrants were transported from the Serbian-Macedonia border to a few-kilometre section on the southern border in an organised fashion, and it is further remarkable that the organisers are able to readily manipulate the route. The police identified the uncovering and elimination of organised human trafficking as a priority task.
The Minister confirmed that the Serbian police did not assist the work of their Hungarian counterparts on Wednesday; however, Hungary continues to remain one hundred per cent committed to Serbia joining the European Union. A possible solution to the migration crisis could have been the admission of the neighbouring country to the EU with special urgency, he remarked.
No compromise on hot spots
The Minister was asked about the fact that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon described the treatment of migrants at the Röszke border as shocking. He responded: all international comments must be taken seriously, but it is hardly possible to determine from Berlin, Vienna or New York on what basis a commander decides and takes ultimate responsibility.
He remarked: in “more advanced democracies” in Western-Europe sterner, tougher action is taken against people who do not observe the rules of the game. Mr Lázár also told the press that there will be no investigation regarding the injured foreign journalists, but they will review the statutory rules concerning the freedom of movement in the area of police operations.
Mr Lázár pointed out that they are not prepared to make any compromise on the issue of the so-called hot spots, the purpose of which would have been to gather together 100-150,000 people in the territory of Hungary and to distribute them Europe-wide. He further mentioned that the Government is financing the some EUR 200 million necessary for the management of the migrant situation by reallocating funds and releasing reserves.
Hungary requested but was not given help
By Mr Lázár’s account, Hungary requested but was not given help by the European Union to comply with the Schengen Agreement.
The Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office reiterated that the European Commission just decided on the allocation of the funds which will be available during the period between 2014-2020, and Hungary has been awarded EUR 65 million. He added: Bulgaria has been allocated EUR 71 million, while Italy and Greece have each been given EUR 500 million for the management of the situation.
Mr Lázár finds that the German criticism which takes Hungary to task about not asking for help is unfair.
By the Minister’s account, Hungary has spent EUR 200 million on defence from its taxpayers’ money, while it receives a mere EUR 65 million from the European Union for a period of seven years.
The Minister also said that they will evaluate the post-15 September events in detail at the next cabinet meeting.
Security border fence to be built all the way to Mezőhegyes
Mr Lázár further informed the press that the security border fence will be built on the entire border section of Csongrád County, all the way to Mezőhegyes in Békés County. He stated that there are a number of natural obstacles on the Croatian-Hungarian border, such as the Danube and the River Dráva, and therefore a considerably shorter security border fence will be required on that section.
Mr Lázár said regarding the campaign organised to disseminate information on immigration that they will spend HUF 800 million on the campaign abroad, and HUF 300 million in Hungary.
As part of the campaign abroad, they will provide information in newspaper advertisements in Jordan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Kosovo, and some 200 thousand flyers have been distributed in Serbia and Macedonia, he informed the press.
The Minister pointed out in answer to a question regarding the closure of reception centres: if the border fence works, and the asylum procedures are shorter, there will be no need for such a large capacity, but after just one day, this question cannot be answered definitively.
The conditions for the closure of the Debrecen centre have now emerged, he said, indicating that some one thousand migrants have remained in the country.
He said that the re-opening of the Röszke border crossing station within less than 30 days depends on the number of those who stay there and whether the migrants will observe the regulations.
The Minister was further asked about the news reports which claim that several migrants entered Baranya County through Croatia. The Minister said in his answer that the operational corps are aware of the incident, and the police will take the necessary measures.
Official procedures to be simplified
The Minister told the press at his press conference that he will propose the shortening of administrative procedures to Parliament next week.
By changing the rules relating to the deadlines, content issues and the required documents, they will re-regulate licensing and review procedures. The objective is to enable the administration of any affair within maximum sixty days, he said.
He also confirmed that administrative fees will be reduced by some HUF 10 billion.
New ceiling on the remuneration of the managers of state-owned companies
Mr Lázár informed the press that the Government will introduce new caps on the maximum remuneration of the managers of state-owned companies. According to his information, ceilings will be determined for each sector: in the state-owned financial sector the maximum pre-tax pay may be five million forints, four million in the energy sector, and three million at companies in other sectors. They also stipulated that no bonus payments may be made by loss-making companies, and the maximum bonus is 20 per cent of the pre-tax basic pay. This is payable to managers who waive the collection of previously awarded, unpaid bonuses from before 2010, the Minister explained, who pointed out that the goal is to eliminate hidden pay schemes.
The Minister justified the plan on the basis of a study by the President of the State Audit Office, according to which the quality, transparency and efficiency of the operation of state-owned companies cannot be separated from the remuneration and incentives of managers. He further told the press that, out of exceptional interests relevant to the national economy, departure from the remuneration scheme is permitted in the case of international managers where the companies concerned may apply international standards.
In answer to a question, the Minister also reported that the Ministry of Human Resources and the Prime Minister’s Office are conducting investigations regarding ESZOSZ, the First Hungarian National Environmentally Aware Social Cooperative, with a view to the expedient and lawful utilisation of the grants paid to date. He reiterated that the livelihood of some 2,800 people is at stake, and they sincerely hope that they will be able to help those who have been wronged, for instance, by transferring them to the public works programme. The investigation of the Ministry of Human Resources has already been closed, and that of the Prime Minister’s Office will be completed soon, he said.
Mr Lázár was also asked about when a new state secretary for health care will be appointed. He said that personnel issues are featured on the agenda of next week’s meeting.
The Prime Minister will inform the parties concerned of the capacity in which Antal Rogán will take part in the Government’s work
According to the Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will inform the parties concerned of the capacity in which Antal Rogán will take part in the Government’s work on Monday.
Mr Lázár told the press that Mr Orbán briefly evaluated the Government’s activities in the past four years at the meeting of the Fidesz parliamentary group held in Velence on Wednesday. He added: the essence of the Prime Minister’s message was that the work done by the Cabinet conforms to both promises and expectations. He further pointed out, the Minister continued, that there are areas which are in need of improvement, and this is where he would rely on Antal Rogán.
Mr Lázár highlighted: the Prime Minister is free to change the structure of the government in the interest of improving the cabinet’s performance. He added: the Prime Minister takes the view that the changes also require personal changes, and he invited Antal Rogán to the governmental team as the first step of these changes.
As to how this will be achieved is the Prime Minister’s sovereign decision, the Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office said.
He told the press: if the Prime Minister consults him as to how this change can be effectively implemented, he will tell him what he learnt from the Prime Minister: those who are given a chance to enter executive power must learn to meet the expectation that power must be combined with responsibility.
Mr Lázár said in answer to a question concerning his own position: the question is not his personal fate but how the quality of governance can be improved. He then continued to say that he has two types of responsibility that he must adhere to: one is his political responsibility as a minister, while the other is legal responsibility which he must accept for everything that is happening at the ministry led by him.
He remarked that, as far as the Fidesz parliamentary group, the Government and every Fidesz politician are concerned, the most important event of Wednesday was the incident that occurred at the southern border. This is not the time to deal with the day-to-day dilemmas of government, or one’s personal fate, he said.
He told the press that members of the Government will make every effort to make Antal Rogán successful as a political cabinet chief.
(MTI)
