Hungary’s foreign minister has said the government rejects Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel’s “ultimatum” on migration.
Michel recently told Belgian news site Le Soir that Visegrad countries that “refuse to act in solidarity [with the rest of the EU] are being given an ultimatum”. He added that unless they come to a consensus on the matter at the European Council heads of government by June this year, the debate will be decided by a simple majority.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban took to his Facebook page to post a video about Michel’s comments.
“Our presidency (V4) has taken a stand and we cannot give in to extortion. For us, Hungary is first. We will fight those who want to change the Christian identity of Hungary and Europe,” the prime minister said.
Minister Szijjártó, furthermore, made it clear that Hungary has never been a country of immigrants; neither does it intend to become one.
Prime Minister Michel’s “ultimatum” is “coercion”, and Hungary will never yield to it, he said. Michel’s statement is “shocking” because it is the first occasion when Brussels openly prepares for pushing through the migration quotas, “with complete disregard for certain EU countries’ opinions,” Minister Szijjártó said. “We find this unacceptable and refuse it,” he added.
The minister added that the Visegrad group is concerned by the “27 terrorist attacks perpetrated by people with migration backgrounds in Europe recently and the no-go zones in certain European cities, even if the Belgian prime minister is not concerned by them,” he said.
Minister Szijjártó made the remarks during a press conference in Bratislava, where he met Slovak Foreign Affairs State Secretary Ivan Korcok.
Korcok said the Visegrad group should not once again allow “them to vote over our heads”.
Minister Szijjártó also reassured Korcok over energy security, and the Hungarian-Romanian agreement to establish the technical conditions for gas exports to Hungary by 2020. From 2022, large volumes of gas extracted on the Black Sea will be available to Hungary, he added.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban took to his Facebook page to post a video about Michel’s comments.