Migration is why Brussels is afraid of the Hungarian presidency

Under Hungary's presidency, the government may steer the issue of migration in a direction that is diametrically opposed to Brussels' plans, the EU advisor said.

Brüsszel, 2023. március 21. Uniós zászlók az Európai Bizottság székháza, a Berlaymont-épület elõtt Brüsszelben 2023. március 21-én. MTI/Balogh Zoltán Fotó: Balogh Zoltán

The idea of postponing the Hungarian presidency emerged almost at the same time as the adoption in early June of a new EU migration package by the member states’ interior ministers, which would introduce a mandatory migrant quota scheme. Hungary, along with Poland, does not support the new rules, so it comes as no surprise that Brussels launched an immediate attack on the two countries.

This story is highly politically motivated, with the Greens, together with the Left, being the voice of the anti-Hungarian debate in the European Parliament,

− Fidesz MEP Eniko Gyori said, reacting to Magyar Nemzet’s inquiry. The politician underlined that Hungary has already held the rotating presidency before, in 2011, and it achieved outstanding results.

Cover photo: EU flags in front of the European Commission’s Berlaymont building in Brussels, on 21 March 2023 (Phoot: MTI/Zoltan Balogh)