"Willkommenskultur: Berlin Owes Europe an Apology"

Hungarian experts agree that Germany has unleashed an immigration crisis on all of Europe.

Spielfeld, 2016. február 8. Migránsok mennek a buszhoz az osztrák- szlovén határ ausztriai oldalán, a Spielfeldben kialakított, a migránsokat irányító határõrizeti rendszer épületénél 2016. február 8-án. A migránsok haladását terelõkordonokkal irányítják, és családok, illetve nemek szerint osztják szét õket. A beutazási jogosultság eldöntése után vagy visszafordítják, vagy regisztrálják és továbbutaztatják egy ausztriai befogadó állomásra az Ausztriába vagy Németországba tartó migránsokat. MTI Fotó: Varga György Fotó: Varga György

While one of Germany's largest newspapers published an extensive manifesto, laying out the most basic rules of human coexistence for those who came to the country as immigrants, the German government is wholeheartedly supporting the migration pact imposed by the European Union. The 48 Minutes current affairs program, hosted by Tamas Lanczi on Hungarian public television station M1, drew attention to this contradiction in German communication. In the program, Tamas Lanczi talked with Gabor Fodor, director of the Central European Political Transitions Institute (KRKI), Gabor Kalomista, producer and theater director and Levente Szikra, senior analyst at the Center for Fundamental Rights.

According to the report by Hirado.hu, the host recalled that the striking manifesto regarding migration was published in Bild, Germany's largest circulation paper. In it, the authors summarize in fifty points what is expected of those who come to Germany. Guests on the 48 Minutes program discussed the question of how sincere this manifesto is and whether a real political turn can happen in a state led by an unstable government.

Gabor Fodor said the carnage of Hamas in Israel has put migration in Europe in a different light. Gabor Kalomista believes that the Germans should apologize for unleashing the immigration crisis on Europe, as they were the drivers of the events.

You can no longer go down into an underpass at train station because you're afraid you won't come back up,

the producer and theater director expressed the gravity of the problem by summarizing his own experience, and also highlighted that in the  meantime, the unwavering support of NGOs facilitating the influx continues.

Citing the example of Sweden, he emphasized that this is no longer just a German problem. "This is the basis for creating migrant ghettos in Eastern Europe where they can dump people they do not want to see in their own countries," host Tamas Lanczi expressed his concerns. Levente Szikra pointed out that the German government continues to support the migration pact, requiring the distribution of migrants. "The situation is rather controversial, and I don't see any sincere intention on Germany's part to take a real turnaround," he remarked. "The fact that the Bild published a 50-point manifesto like this indicates a major change in the German press and public opinion," said Gabor Fodor, adding that German society is increasingly dissatisfied with the country's unstable government and a palpable shift is taking place across Western Europe regarding the issue of migration. 

"Germany has been facing this problem for a decade now," Gabor Kalomista said, adding that "the authorities are unable to tackle the issue because even if migrants are expelled, they refuse to leave the country". Levente Szikra pointed to the conflict between the elite and society, bringing up the results of the Bavarian  elections as an example. He highlighted that eighty percent of Bavaria's population believe that Germany's migration policy must change. He took the view that society demands and supports a change with a large majority, but decision makers are not brave enough.

It is disastrous that a country that is predominant in terms of its economy and size does not have a firm management at the moment,

Gabor Fodor pointed out.

"Do you think there will be an apology to Viktor Orban," Tamas Lanczi raised the question, noting that Hungary's stance on illegal immigration has remained unchanged since the very beginning. "I don't think there will be any, although there's no doubt that time has justified the Hungarian government's position," Gabor Fodor responded.

Cover photo: Migrants board a bus outside the crowd-management center in Spielfeld on the Austrian side of the Austria-Slovenia border on February 8, 2016 (Photo: Gyorgy Varga)