Brussels to force a city-sized migrant ghetto on Hungary

The EU proposal mandates that the country care for migrants at the border while their asylum applications are being processed. It also states that nearly 10,000 migrants would have to be processed simultaneously. Hungary would be forced to bear the biggest burden, with the Greeks and Bulgarians having to accommodate far fewer migrants. Brussels would also redistribute those who have already settled in Europe. Prime Minister Orban proposes the Hungarian model instead of this coup-like measure. The premier says asylum applications should be handled outside the EU and help should be given to poorer countries of origin, especially in Africa.

Blazuj, 2020. június 19. Illegális bevándorlók Szarajevó egyik elõvárosa, Blazuj egykori laktanyájában 2020. június 19-én. A legutóbbi hivatalos adatok szerint több mint hatezer illegálisan érkezett és az Európai Unió gazdagabb államaiba igyekvõ migráns tartózkodik Boszniában. MTI/EPA/Fehim Demir Fotó: Fehim Demir

On Friday morning Prime Minister Viktor Orban gave an interview on public radio MR1's Good Morning, Hungary programme, where he also spoke on the issue of migration. The premier expressed his utter dismay that European plans call for the erection of migrant ghettos on Hungary's southern border.

Based on the information that has been made public so far, a picture is emerging of how the EU's proposal would work. Under the so-called responsibility pillar of the compromise model developed by the larger member states, the reception of asylum applications at the border would remain compulsory and the asylum procedure would have to be completed within 12 weeks. If no final decision is taken within this time frame, or if deportation cannot be carried out, migrants are to be released onto the territory of the member state concerned.

To implement this, a kind of capacity must be developed based on the appropriate formula. This is the migrant ghetto mentioned by the prime minister, which in the case of Hungary would be a camp with a minimum capacity to accommodate 8,511 migrants at the same time, and a state apparatus would have to be maintained on a permanent basis to evaluate so many applications simultaneously. If this capacity is reached, the assessment of asylum applications could be temporarily suspended, and once the number of 8,511 persons has quadrupled, the assessment of asylum applications could be completely stopped in the given year.

One of the most controversial points of the proposal is that the level of capacity to be established - in bureaucratic Brussels terms - would be far higher for Hungary than for any other member state - 28.3% of the total EU capacity. Meanwhile, Greece and Bulgaria, which are at the frontline of the Western Balkan migration route to Hungary, would only have to maintain a capacity for 1,035 and 516 respectively, due to the low number of illegal border crossings reported. This ratio makes it clear that the plan is clearly intended to penalize Hungary, as the country would have to care for a city's worth of migrants on a continuous basis. Furthermore, authors of the proposal also state that in the event of a possible so-called migration emergency, the stipulated quotas imposed could be multiplied.

The fact that it has not yet been decided what responsibility an EU member state is to bear for migrants once an asylum application has been assessed could also place additional burdens on Hungary. Under the current compromise, it seems that Greece's responsibility for an applicant who entered Greece and then moved on to wait in Serbia would cease after nine months.

Migrant quotas reloaded

It is important to stress that in addition to the creation of migrant camps, there would be a distribution mechanism between member states, i.e. Brussels would also be able to settle migrants in Hungary in addition to those arriving at the southern border.

Based on the pact's so-called solidarity pillar, a proposal was made to relocate 30,000 migrants per year within the EU, which could be opted out of by instead paying 20,000 euros per person. This could mean an income of six hundred million euros for the Union. It is also worth highlighting that these are only the initial numbers, the European Commission has indicated that it will propose higher target numbers, as the quota can be expanded without limit. Bloc members can therefore "freely" decide whether to accept migrants or pay the above 20,000-euro-per-person price.

These two measures can be opted out of in other ways, as well, for example, by helping another member state to develop the infrastructure for asylum seekers, but this can only be done with the consent of the given member state.

A coup-like move in Brussels

In the radio interview on Friday, the premier called the inclusion of the issue on the agenda a coup-like action, recalling that EU organisations and member states have agreed on several occasions that since this issue divides the community, arriving at a common position is necessary. Despite this, "those who are on the side of migration have pushed through the proposal to set up a migrant quota system at the Council of Interior Ministers", PM Orban stressed. In his opinion, the decision is based on a change of guard at the helm of the Soros empire. As is known, in recent weeks George Soros has publicly announced that he is stepping down from the management of his foundations and is handing the baton over to his son Alexander Soros. The PM recalled that Alexander Soros had also announced that he would be much more active in politics than his predecessor.

In Friday's radio interview, the PM commented on the issue of quotas and nicely-sounding capacities - actually migrant camps - by saying that Brussels adopted rules "which require Hungary to receive at least 10,000 migrants per year, a number that could easily climb multiples higher at the whim of the Commission. In addition, they want to oblige us to build migrant ghettos in Hungary."

Mr Orban recalled that he has been fighting against quota and migrant resettlement plans for eight years, and so far, he has been able to block the imposition of mandatory quotas on Hungary and EU member states. "This situation, which could be described as a state of calm, has now changed, as they have made a move in a coup-like manner and have adopted decisions which will take our country away from us. I repeat once again, they want to make it mandatory for us to build camps, migrant ghettos for tens of thousands of migrants," the prime minister emphasized.

The Hungarian solution

Asked by a journalist why the EU is not more receptive to stricter border protection, the Hungarian prime minister recalled that some member states see the influx of migrants as a solution to labour shortages. “I always tell them that I’ve seen the hordes of migrants crossing through Hungary, and they will not become a diligent workforce for German industry,” PM Orban emphasized. 

Other member states are driven by ideological considerations, believing that open borders can lead to a better world, Hungary’s premier noted, adding that when this argument comes up in discussions, he usually points out to his conversation partners that migration poses a serious security risk, and that all the major terrorist attacks of the past decade can be linked to the phenomenon of immigration. “Behind it all is George Soros’s network, exerting powerful influence on the media and, through the media, on politicians,” Viktor Orban explained.
 

Mr Orban emphasized that Hungary has already presented the solution: we have built border fences, our southern borders are being constantly patrolled, and we have spent two billion euros on all of this in the last eight years. In addition, a system that could be feasible at a European level has been put in place, he said, adding that if someone wants to come to Hungary, they must submit their application at one of Hungary's embassies and cannot enter the country until the applications are evaluated. The same model could be adopted at the EU's external borders: entry into the territory of the EU is only allowed when applications have been processed and a positive decision has been taken by an EU member state.
PM Orban called it another important step that the Hungarian state carries out generous charitable activities in poorer parts of the world. "We must not bring the problem here, but take help there," Victor Orban said, recalling the motto of the Hungary Helps programme. He added that the agency is the most active in the Sahel region, from where most of the people wanting to reach Europe come.

Cover photo: Illegal immigrants in the former barracks of Blazuj, a suburb of Sarajevo, on 19 June 2020 (Source: MTI/EPA/Fehim Demir)