The Visegrád countries may enter into joint border policing and border protection cooperation, János Lázár, the Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office informed the press at the press conference “Governmentinfo 25 – What does the Government do and why?” which he held jointly with András Giró-Szász, State Secretary for Government Communications.
Preparations are ongoing for a border policing cooperation, and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will take the necessary diplomatic measures in the next few days, the Minister announced, who described the solidarity demonstrated by the V4 countries and the stance they took in Brussels on the issue of migration as extremely remarkable and a booster of the alliance.
Mr Lázár also spoke about Croatia, and said that if Zagreb is unable and is unwilling to meet its obligation relating to the registration of migrants, major concerns may arise regarding the country’s EU and prospective Schengen membership.
In his words, the Government will soon reach the state where it will be able to protect the Hungarian-Croatian border with live force, legal measures and a security border fence: there will be protective fences on two sections of the lengths of 78 and 38 kilometres, respectively. The Government is ready, and has no choice but to build fences because that is the only thing the organisers of migration seem to understand.
Austria must decide, he continued, what they would like: either that Hungary should protect its border with Croatia with a border fence, or should organise a corridor. Budapest has yet to receive a firm answer from Vienna, he added. If Austria and Germany opt for the corridor, it has the same inviting effect as the former German announcement made with respect to refugees from Syria, he said.
The Minister told the press: this year’s 300,000th migrant will arrive at the border of Hungary this week. He reiterated that, in the Government’s view, there is an organised campaign against Hungary.
The Government supports Slovakia’s measures against quotas
The head of the Prime Minister’s Office said: the Government supports Slovakia’s contemplated measures against the EU quotas, and is opposed to the establishment of refugee camps, so-called hot spots, on the territory of the EU.
At the same time, Mr Lázár described the arson attacks and violent incidents which occurred in camps in Germany as alarming. As the Minister pointed out, he is eagerly looking forward to seeing what changes will take place in Germany and what decisions will be adopted in order to make immigration a regulated and controlled process. He remarked: every day 5 to 10 thousand migrants arrive in the European Union via Serbia, and their succession is unlimited. We cannot expect this pressure to abate in the short term.
In the Minister’s evaluation, the European Union should not have criticised Hungary on account of the construction of the border fence “as an exercise of moral imperialism”; it is a tool which works, and “we ourselves did not erect it because that is what took our fancy”.
Mr Lázár informed the press that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will take the stance also at the summit of EU heads of state and government to be held in mid-October that assistance must be concentrated in the crisis zones, and while the intention of any particular country to take in migrants must be respected, “we fail to understand why we should be forced to take in migrants just because others need immigrants”. This evidently does not tally with the position of others, such as György Soros, who “keeps bombarding the international public with his earth-shattering plans, quite obviously, in the name of true selflessness which he has manifested in so many ways in the countries where his activities have resulted in sovereign default in the past 30 years”, he remarked.
In answer to a question, Mr Lázár also stated that the Government is prepared to provide financial assistance for the localities in Hungary which are most affected by illegal migration. He further remarked that in these localities they will increase the number of public works employees who help with collecting the vast amounts of rubbish left behind.
The Minister informed the press that the legal border closure does not result in a disproportionately high number of cases for courts: 351 criminal cases have been instituted against illegal border crossers, 293 of them have been brought before courts, the culpability of the individuals concerned has been established in 279 cases on a final and absolute basis, and 14 individuals have submitted appeals.
Mr Lázár is to propose elimination of dozens of fees and contributions
The Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office will propose the elimination of dozens of state fees and contributions.
As a result, the fees payable for the replacement of documents, the vehicle registration procedure, the issuance of automobile licences and registration documents, certificates of registration for companies, tax certificates, construction permits, certificates of good conduct and title deeds, the fee payable for the entrance procedure in higher education, and the costs associated with environmental and technical condition stickers may all be done away with effective as of 1 January, the Minister said at his press conference.
State Secretary András Giró-Szász has resigned
András Giró-Szász, State Secretary for Government Communications at the Prime Minister’s Office has tendered his resignation. Mr Giró-Szász confirmed this in answer to a question at Governmentinfo on Thursday.
In stating his reasons, the State Secretary pointed out: a new situation will evolve by virtue of the fact that a ministry will come into being which will be responsible for government communication. While the prospective leader of this ministry, the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Office, Antal Rogán requested him to continue to remain state secretary for communication, Mr Giró-Szász, as he stated, did not accept this offer for personal and professional reasons, and he likewise refused the post of Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office which was offered to him by János Lázár, the Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office.
Mr Giró-Szász is leaving his post as State Secretary upon the establishment of the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Office. The departing State Secretary further told the press that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had raised an idea regarding their continued cooperation, but this is not yet at a stage where he would be at liberty to talk about it.
In answer to a question regarding the criticism levelled by Gergely Gulyás, Fidesz Deputy Speaker of Parliament for legislation, at the effectiveness of government communication in a statement, he said: “lack of experience, coupled with a lack of knowledge, is tragically pitiable, in particular, if it is combined with a lack of ability to see the bigger picture”.
In answer to a question, Mr Lázár said at the press conference: he sincerely hopes that all open “questions regarding state secretaries” will be closed in the next few days, if possible, as early as on Friday. He also remarked that Mr Orbán requested him to carry on with Governmentinfo.
Mr Lázár ordered an investigation into road construction projects
Mr Lázár further informed the press that the Government Control Office (Kehi) has ordered an immediate investigation into local road construction projects in the wake of the findings of the European anti-fraud agency (OLAF). As he said, based on the investigations of OLAF, doubts have emerged which concern almost all companies engaged in road construction works during the period between 2007 and 2013, including Swietelsky and Strabag, in addition to Közgép.
The Minister is convinced, he continued, that Hungary used the available funds lawfully and in conformity with the applicable rules, but the situation must be clarified. He indicated: there is nothing extraordinary in the proceedings of the EU agency, and the Government is at the agency’s disposal.
The Minister was queried about the fact that, according to press reports, OLAF has uncovered conflicts of interests concerning Róbert Homolya, the Prime Minister’s Commissioner and his business interests. Mr Lázár said in reply: the agency has made very serious allegations, and he would like to talk to OLAF about whether these are correct or not, given that this issue has regularly emerged in the past five years, but the authorities involved in public procurements continuously refuted it.
Brussels’ approach to Paks enlargement is constructive
Mr Lázár also reported on his talks held in Brussels this week regarding the enlargement of the Paks atomic power station, informing the press: he had a meeting with Margrethe Vestager, European Commissioner for Competition whom he asked for a swift closure of the investigation of the Paks project under competition law. The Commissioner – who has 60 days at her disposal – manifested a constructive approach. Margrethe Vestager will investigate whether there is any prohibited state aid in the Paks capacity maintenance project.
This is the third procedure in Brussels regarding Paks, and once the Hungarian Government is past this hurdle, there is only the European Commission’s public procurement audit left, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office said.
Action plan to be drafted in connection with diesel scandal
In answer to a question concerning Hungarian ties to the Volkswagen scandal, the Minister said it is inevitable for the Hungarian Government to prepare an action plan in the interest of reinforcing economic growth. He urged cooperation with the Audi factory in Győr, and indicated: he does not foresee staff dismissals, but due to a decline in its sales, the company group will, as anticipated, only be able to account for a smaller share of the country’s economic growth. In his view, it is necessary to examine whether, in the light of the VW scandal, the figures laid down in the 2016 budget are feasible.
Regarding a question relating to Connie Mack appointed as Hungary’s “public advocate” in the United States, Mr Lázár said that the Government would like to have similar advocates to represent the position of the Hungarian Government in Germany as well.
The Minister further informed the press that, as part of the compensation of war orphans and war widows, the State has paid HUF 180 million to date, 21,000 people have acquired eligibility, and the assessment of another 13,000 cases is currently in progress.
(MTI)
