Prime Minister Viktor Orbán takes the view that “the peoples of Europe are beginning to wake up”: they have realised that immigration is a cultural issue, and that “our identity is at stake”.
On the Kossuth Rádió programme “180 Minutes”, the Prime Minister said that we cannot expect a solution from Brussels, however, and the nation states will have to resolve the problem – as Hungary has done for its part.
Quota system is unacceptable
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The Prime Minister drew attention to the fact that the plan for the European Union’s quota system – which Hungary opposes and finds unlawful, unreasonable and unfair – “has grown to become an even bigger threat”, because the distribution of migrants arriving in Europe would be entrenched in a permanent mechanism.
“This is something which we cannot accept under any circumstances”, Mr. Orbán pointed out, stating that EU membership does not call for the Hungarian people being dictated to by others on taking in those who have arrived in Europe illegally, against the will of Hungary.
He also asked who it was in Europe that voted to allow people to arrive illegally in their millions and then be distributed, and when such a vote took place.
No such decision was made – including in any election – and therefore what is happening today lacks democratic foundations, he said. He added that “we are shifting from the present lawful state of the EU towards a state of anarchy”, because a number of leaders see the “state of illegality” as something natural.
The Prime Minister mentioned as one of Europe’s shared dangers the increased threat of terrorism – saying that “even one terrorist is one too many” – and developments in public security. On the latter, he said that there is the danger that “we let into the EU the specific internal conflicts of the Middle-East – or even invite them in”.
Illegal immigrants must be sent back to the country where they first entered the EU
Regarding expulsions, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Hungary’s position that migrants who have been registered here cannot be sent back to Hungary, as the rules do not say that they have to be sent back here, but to the country where they first entered the EU. That country is Greece, which is the key to the whole situation, he said, adding that Greece is not doing the job it should be doing in terms of protecting its southern borders.
Mr. Orbán believes that the flood of migrants – which he referred to as an invasion – is induced, on the one hand, by the “business” of human traffickers, and on the other, by activists who “are willing to support anything that weakens nation states”.
This western mentality – and the network of activists associated with it – is perhaps most associated with the name of George Soros, he remarked, adding that activists helping immigrants are themselves unwittingly becoming part of the illegal international network of human traffickers.
He further objected to the fact that “opinion-making pressure is developing in Europe which politicians representing another approach simply dare not speak out against”. As an example, he said that the word “fence” cannot now be used.
In response to the words of US Ambassador to Budapest Colleen Bell, who has criticised the Hungarian government, the Prime Minister said that “this is now nothing but Realpolitik […] this is now blatant national or imperial interest”.
The United States does not support the immigration policy which Hungary represents, he said.
It was clear from the speech in New York by the US Ambassador to the UN, he continued, that it is not contrary to the best interests of the United States if millions of immigrants suddenly arrive in Europe from war-torn regions.
“While, of course, this is not contrary to their best interests, I would be intrigued to see if someone who attempted to enter the United States without a visa would succeed. It’s hardly a possibility”, Mr. Orbán said. He remarked that if Hungary did just half of what the United States does on its southern border (where fences and walls are built and “there are orders to open fire”), “we would have been hauled over the coals”.
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The Hungarian reforms are working
Moving on to domestic political and economic issues, the Prime Minister pointed out that the Hungarian reforms are working, and not since the fall of communism have there been so many people in employment in Hungary as there are now. However, he said, he keeps looking for new ways and means to provide jobs for at least another half a million people over the next few years. As potential opportunities in this field, he mentioned amendment of the taxation regime for small and medium-sized businesses, simplification of taxation, improvement of the pay situation, and the construction of homes.
We are safe if land is in the hands of farmers
Finally, speaking about the sale of state-owned land, the Prime Minister pointed out that the law is absolutely clear: one person may own a maximum of 300 hectares of land.
He said he sees the land issue as an issue of sovereignty: “we are safe if land is in the hands of farmers. Whilst observing the EU regulations, we must prevent […] foreigners from acquiring Hungarian arable land”. In his view, if the policy of the socialists had continued, half of Transdanubia – if not all of it – would be in the hands of foreigners through bogus contracts.
(Prime Minister's Office)