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News in Brief

Government Spokesperson: During the past three years the V4 has acted against illegal migration while showing true European solidarity

Jun 22, 2018

“There is full accord among the countries of the V4, including with relation to the fact that what is happening on the European Union’s borders must be stopped," Zoltán Kovács said

News in Brief Prime Minister

PMs of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia will not attend an EU mini-summit on migration

Jun 22, 2018

PM Orbán said the Visegrad Group and Austria agreed that the European Union must be in a position to protect its external borders against migrants and ensure security for its citizens

Blog Prime Minister

PM Orbán on the V4: ‘We have never been stronger than we are now’

Jun 22, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

In his regular Friday morning interview on Hungary’s public radio, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán talked about the Stop Soros package, migration, a “disturbance in the force” within the EU, and the Visegrád Group. “We have never been stronger than we are now,” he said, referring to yesterday’s Visegrád Four plus Austria summit.

News in Brief

Hungary’s parliament passes “Stop Soros” legislative package

Jun 21, 2018

The bills contained in the package, submitted by the interior minister and requiring a two-thirds majority to pass, was approved with 160 votes in favor and 18 against

News in Brief

“We need to introduce additional measures to protect Hungary from illegal migration,” says Finance Ministry

Jun 20, 2018

The government of Hungary has announced that the proposed tax law currently in front of Parliament proposes a 25 percent duty on organizations aiding illegal migration. The Government said that their goal with the new legislation is to help pay for expenses that illegal migration imposes on the Hungarian budget.

News in Brief

FM: The UN human rights commissioner has declared war against the Hungarian government

Jun 19, 2018

Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said battle lines have been drawn for Hungary seeking to ensure the security of its people in the face of illegal migration

News in Brief

Migration “poses a danger for central Europe," says minister

Jun 18, 2018

Antal Rogán said Hungary will not receive migrants and cannot be obliged to do so and argued that the country “had not agreed to do anything of the kind when it joined the European Union”

News in Brief

Hungary has “good chances” in the struggle against the EU’s mandatory migrant quotas, says minister

Jun 15, 2018

The minister underlined the fact that at this point in time, 16 Member States do not support the EU's official draft, while five Member States indicated their unconditional support for the proposal

News in Brief

25 years of jail for people traffickers in the case of 71 dead migrants found suffocated in a refrigerator lorry

Jun 14, 2018

The suspects are 11 men of Afghan, Bulgarian and Lebanese nationality. While the Hungarian court gave 25 year sentences to four of the suspects, the other seven received varying verdicts.

News in Brief

FM: Hungary extends appreciation to Italy for commitment to restoring the security of Europe

Jun 13, 2018

Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, spoke with Matteo Salvini on Monday evening and underlined the importance of protecting Europe and its people

News in Brief

16 EU member states do not regard the draft proposal on the reform of the Dublin System as acceptable

Jun 12, 2018

Mátyás Hegyaljai, the Ministry of Interior’s deputy state secretary for EU and International Affairs, told Parliament’s European Affairs Committee that Hungary is now not the only one that objects to the mandatory resettlement quota

News in Brief

Ahmed H has appeal trial set for September 20th

Jun 12, 2018

Ahmed H was sentenced in the Szeged Court of Justice in March to seven years in prison and expelled from Hungary for 10 years

News in Brief

German Chancellor says that by protecting the EU’s external border, Hungary is also protecting Germany

Jun 11, 2018

“By protecting the Hungarian-Serbian external EU border, Hungary is protecting Germany, too,” Chancellor Merkel said. "In order to preserve free movement within the community, a real European border police must be established"

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: The government will revise the country’s constitution in September

Jun 08, 2018

During his regular interview slot on Kossuth Radio, the prime minister said discussions about the changes to the 2011 constitution would start in September

News in Brief

Chief Security Advisor: Hungary is ready to help protect the borders of countries along the new migration route

Jun 08, 2018

György Bakondi said Hungary will send police units if necessary and be on hand if needed

News in Brief

Europe faces serious challenges as Brussels plans major spending cuts

Jun 08, 2018

Szabolcs Takács, the state secretary for European Affairs, said the issues of migration, economic development and EU enlargement will prove problematic, while the European Commission plans to cut funding for policies whose goals are defined in the bloc’s treaties

Blog Prime Minister

PM Orbán on migration: “The high tide is coming”

Jun 08, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

While the outcome of recent elections and sources of political instability in Europe figured prominently in Prime Minister Orbán’s interview this morning on Kossuth Radio, he also warned about the coming “high tide” of migration and touched on Hungary’s budget for next year as well as the planned amendment to the Fundamental Law

News in Brief

Hungary must be protected from illegal migration says PM's office head

Jun 04, 2018

Speaking on Kossuth Radio, Gergely Gulyás said the government’s related proposals to change the constitution and enact the “Stop Soros” law will help protect Hungary

News in Brief

Hungary’s FM: The government rejects the UNHCR's “outrageous” call for the withdrawal of the “Stop Soros” package

Jun 01, 2018

Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said he had written an official letter to the Office of the UNHCR “reminding” it of its duty to represent UN values. The minister also said in the letter that he considered it “unacceptable” that the office had accused Hungary of “completely ignoring” facts

News in Brief

Hungary’s Chief Security Advisor: The make-up of migrants and the migration routes they are choosing have changed

Jun 01, 2018

György Bakondi also said the mass inflow of migrants into Spain, Italy and Greece is also gaining strength. Migration routes, with the exception of the Spanish-Moroccan route, have changed, he added

Blog

A stronger, more rigorous Stop Soros bill is now in front of the Parliament: here’s a look at the details

May 31, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

On election day nearly two months ago, the voters of Hungary sent a clear message. They made it clear that they don’t want Hungary to become an immigrant country and that the country’s security comes first. To serve the will of the people and meet this obligation, the Orbán Government has put forth the Stop Soros legislative package. What’s in the new package? Let’s take a look at the details.

News in Brief Prime Minister

We should listen to PM Orbán when he says he wants to change the course of Europe, says leading political anlayst

May 25, 2018

Renowned author Mike Gonzalez has penned a deconstruction of Hungarian and European politics and is extremely complimentary about Prime Minister Viktor Orbán

News in Brief

Hungary's FM: The EU wanted to legitimize and support migration as part of a new international agreement

May 23, 2018

Following a meeting of EU foreign ministers and trade representatives in Brussels on Tuesday, Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said the section of the Cotonou Agreement dealing with migration was entirely unacceptable for Hungary

Blog

Dutch minister: two-thirds of illegal migrants make it to the Netherlands undetected, unregistered

May 11, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

European Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos has been getting a lot of mail lately.

News in Brief

Hungary’s FM says foreign policy will continue to protect the country’s sovereignty and security while improving its economy

May 10, 2018

Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said that protecting sovereignty and security was an important goal but is bound to lead to legal and political battles

Blog

The LIBE draft report on Hungary: a masterpiece collection of fake news

May 07, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

Speaking at last Thursday’s session of the European Parliament’s LIBE committee, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó reiterated Hungary’s strong opposition to any pro-migration plan. The draft report – which would call for the nuclear option of an Article 7 procedure to be launched against Hungary – is “a collection of compounded lies” and takes a stance far removed from facts and reality, he said.

News in Brief

Hungary calls on EU to increase funding for Central Asia so they can protect their borders against migrants heading for Europe

May 04, 2018

During an international conference on terrorism and curbing extremism in Tajikistan, Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said it is no longer an exaggeration to declare that the security of Europe begins in Central Asia

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: We will not yield to Europe on immigration policy and maintain Hungary as a Hungarian country

Apr 20, 2018

The prime minister said voters had underlined their support for the government’s essential targets such as economic growth coupled with fiscal discipline, full employment, support for families, preserving the value of pensions and guaranteeing security

News in Brief

Hungary’s FM reiterates the country’s position on migration during a debate at the European Parliament

Apr 19, 2018

Peter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said it became clear that Brussels and the United Nations want illegal migrants to come to Europe. “We continue to resolutely reject migration becoming recognized as a human right or a positive trend,” he said

News in Brief

Hungary will not allow itself to be made a victim of the migrant business, says state secretary

Apr 18, 2018

“Hungary will continue to take action to prevent this in future and will continue to represent the interests of Hungarian voters on all international forums," Pál Völner said

News in Brief

Hungary will not take in a single migrant, says foreign minister

Apr 07, 2018

"Hungary will keep on fighting and the people will decide on April 8th whether Hungary will continue to have an anti-immigration government or will have a pro-immigration government," the foreign minister said

News in Brief

Government Spokesperson says another “Soros Report” is being prepared to blackmail Hungary into resettling migrants

Apr 06, 2018

According to the new regulations, Hungary would have to accept the resettlement of 10,000 migrants-a-year, in addition to which the resettlements would never end

News in Brief

The Soros network is already looking for properties in Hungary to house migrants

Mar 28, 2018

Bence Tuzson, minister of state for Government Communication, said that the Helsinki Committee requested a list of empty state-owned properties in Budapest. He said the government will not issue this list and is prepared to go to court if necessary

Blog

What you won’t hear from European politicians

Mar 28, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

More than three quarters of EU citizens are worried about illegal immigration in their countries, and 78 percent believe that the external borders of Europe should be better protected, according to an EU-wide survey conducted by the Századvég Foundation.

News in Brief

Hungary's government spokesperson says "Röszke attack” in 2015 is linked to the “Soros network”

Mar 27, 2018

Zoltán Kovács said the government is paying particular attention to the various pieces of information that are coming to light with almost daily regularity in relation to the operations of the “Soros network”

Blog

The Soros ‘mercenaries’ working against Hungary

Mar 27, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

According to a recently uncovered statement by Tracie Ahern, former chief financial officer of the Soros Fund Management, the billionaire financier commands a quasi-mercenary force of at least 2,000 people, tasked with achieving three goals: bringing down Prime Minister Orbán’s government, dismantling the border fence, and promoting immigration to Hungary.

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: The rise in the threat of terrorism and the deterioration of public safety are linked to migration

Mar 26, 2018

The prime minister said it was not just for cultural reasons that migrants should not be distributed among EU member states, but also because hosting migrants would be beyond the countries’ economic capacities

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: Hungary will not allow its border fence to be dismantled or migrants to be admitted to the country

Mar 23, 2018

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been busy over the past few days touring Brussels where he reiterated his statement that “Europe is full”

Blog Prime Minister

PM Orbán: A mandatory migrant quota is out of the question, external borders must be defended

Mar 22, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

They’re not giving in, those who see quotas and pro-immigration policies as Europe’s answer to the migration crisis. We’ll see a “decisive showdown” in June, said Prime Minister Orbán this week, when the EU’s heads of state and government will gather in Brussels again. Immigration will feature as one of the overriding issues on the agenda.

News in Brief

PM Orbán: European Union wants to implement new regulations that encourage and support immigration

Mar 21, 2018

“We must block this and we must confront it,” the prime minister said, adding that in this context the EU summit is important, providing the “deciding showdown” in June

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: Europe is full, and as a result the continent’s external borders must be defended

Mar 21, 2018

“We should not focus on the distribution of migrants, and a mandatory migrant quota is out of the question, but we should instead focus on ensuring that illegal migrants cannot gain entry to Hungary and the territory of the European Union,” the prime minister said

News in Brief

Hungary's FM: The government’s top priority is to ensure people’s right to safety

Mar 20, 2018

“The Hungarian people have a right to live in security, so that they do not have to be afraid of terrorist attacks and so that they can protect themselves from the security risks of the emergence of parallel societies,” Minister Szijjártó said

News in Brief

Survey shows that Hungarians expect the number of crimes linked to migrants to increase in Europe this year

Mar 15, 2018

According to a new survey conducted by Századvég, 52 percent of people asked are concerned about the security of the country should it be overrun by migrants

News in Brief

NATO meeting in Bucharest: Instability in the Middle East and North Africa and the resulting interconnected threats of migration and terrorism are the main challenges facing Hungary

Mar 14, 2018

“We are united against challenges and NATO is clearly suitable and ready to protect member states,” Péter Siklósi said

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán warns that his government’s achievements over the past eight years are at risk in the upcoming general election

Mar 13, 2018

PM Orbán said the joint success of the government and the people must be protected in the April 8th election

News in Brief

Hungary’s FM: The international community should focus its efforts not on organizing or encouraging migration but on stopping it

Mar 13, 2018

Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, addressed the UN’s intergovernmental debate on its migration package in New York on Monday and highlighted Hungary’s disagreement with the document’s premise that migration is a positive and unstoppable phenomenon

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán says that being forced to accommodate migrants would “crush the country” financially

Mar 12, 2018

PM Orbán said that according to a European Union plan, Hungary would be obliged “to accommodate at least 10,000 migrants” at a cost of 9,000,000 HUF each

News in Brief

There is no scope for a common EU position on the UN’s global migration proposal package, says minister

Mar 09, 2018

The Hungarian position is that the UN's migration package is a harmful approach and everyone has the right to live in peace and security where they were born

Blog

Migration and its spillover effects continue to be the greatest challenge for Europe

Mar 08, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

Instead of creating a humanitarian right out of migration, it can and should be stopped

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: Fidesz belongs to a civic, national and Christian community

Mar 08, 2018

“We must always remember that, from 1956 onwards, generations have fought and worked for Hungary to become a place where Hungarian people can decide on what happens in their homeland: this is called an election,” PM Orbán said

Blog

Hey, POLITICO Europe, you left out some important details – like really important details – about the Ahmed H. incident

Mar 06, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

When POLITICO Europe published that story this morning on the retrial of a man facing charges in Hungary after an attack on Hungarian border guards, the reporter and editors left a lot out of the story.

News in Brief

János Lázár: The election will decide whether there will be “a government formed by George Soros or by Hungarian people who are against migration”

Mar 05, 2018

Whether Hungary becomes an “immigrant country” or it remains Hungarian is at stake during the April 8th parliamentary election, says government office chief

News in Brief

The Hungarian government will submit a 12-point proposal to the UN regarding draft package on migration

Mar 02, 2018

Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, announced that he will submit the proposal to the head of the UN General Assembly during his opening address to an international conference focusing on the UN’s migration package in Budapest

Blog

‘Security First’: Hungary responds to the UN with a 12-point proposal to handle global migration

Mar 02, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

The Orbán Government strongly disagrees with the draft of the UN’s Global Compact on Migration, but we have decided to remain at the table and have put forward a list of alternatives to influence the debate.

Blog Prime Minister

PM Orbán: ‘If we make the wrong decision, Hungary will become an immigrant country’

Mar 02, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

“If we don’t want to become an immigrant country we’ll have to join our forces and fight this battle together,” said Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, adding that with the upcoming elections Hungary’s future is at stake.

Blog Prime Minister

Guess who’s talking about “no-go zones”

Feb 28, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

Remember that time back in the autumn of 2016 when the government of Hungary had the audacity to talk about “no-go zones”?

Blog

How are NGOs supporting illegal migration? Part 2

Feb 28, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

Here are some examples of NGOs facilitating illegal migration in Hungary and Europe.

News in Brief

A guidebook funded by George Soros provides advice to illegal migrants on how to mislead authorities

Feb 27, 2018

György Bakondi said that several guidebooks including advice for migrants on what routes to follow and what to say if they are intercepted were first found in 2015

News in Brief

Hungary’s foreign minister has officially protested over the negotiations on the UN’s Compact for Migration

Feb 26, 2018

Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, made his feelings known in a letter to the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini

News in Brief

Hungary expects a tough battle over the UN migration document, says government spokesperson

Feb 22, 2018

Speaking on Kossuth Radio’s “180 Minutes” program, Kovács pointed out that Hungary has several natural allies in Central Europe and will do what's best for the country and the region

News in Brief

Hungary's FM: The issue of whether migration is stopped or enabled is what is at stake in the intergovernmental debate on the global migration package

Feb 21, 2018

Hungary believes migration heightens the threat of terror and undermines security, the foreign minister stressed

News in Brief

The foreign minister of Luxembourg “hates Hungary”, according to Péter Szijjártó

Feb 20, 2018

The Hungarian foreign minister called Jean Asselborn a “pro-migration politician” and insisted that his counterpart was “playing the music of George Soros“

News in Brief

Survey finds that over two thirds of Hungarians reject UN proposal for a compact on refugees and migrants

Feb 19, 2018

The Századvég Foundation found that 80 percent of respondents disagreed with the “UN view” that migration and its promotion are beneficial to economic growth and welfare

News in Brief

Hungary's FM: There are 15 million refugees and people in need of humanitarian aid living in the immediate vicinity of Europe

Feb 16, 2018

Minister Szijjártó said this could mean an unmanageable security threat for the European Union, and accordingly Hungary will be submitting proposals with regard to both the UN’s migration package and the reform of the Dublin Regulation

News in Brief

Hungary to remain in UN’s migrant package talks and will push to "influence the draft document in a meaningful way"

Feb 16, 2018

Hungary’s foreign minister has been given a mandate to propose amendments to the five areas the Hungarian government finds problematic in the UN's migrant package and to enforce Hungary’s position in the document

News in Brief

Hungarian government submits a “significantly stricter” version of the “Stop Soros” bill to parliament

Feb 14, 2018

Bence Tuzson, minister of state for Government Communication, said they have incorporated several proposed amendments into the original draft legislation

Blog

Prime Minister Orbán: We cannot give in to extortion

Feb 14, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

Recently, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel sent an ultimatum to the Visegrád countries. The essence of the ultimatum was that by the end of June, if a consensus is not reached in the European Council, then the mandatory migrant quota system will be adopted with a qualified majority vote - overruling dissenters.

News in Brief

Revocation of the Stop Soros legislative package is out of the question, says state secretary

Feb 13, 2018

Bence Tuzson said that the government would like members of the public in the largest possible numbers to state their views because this would help improve the final version of the Stop Soros legislative package

News in Brief

Whether or not Hungary will become an “immigrant country” is at stake in the general election, says state secretary

Feb 12, 2018

“Several national consultation surveys and a referendum have demonstrated beyond doubt that Hungarians don’t even want to hear about this. And the government must heed the will of the Hungarian people,” Csaba Dömötör said

News in Brief

Hungary’s FM: Hungary and Poland will not accept any illegal migrants

Feb 09, 2018

“As pressure, blackmail and ultimatums mount, Hungarian-Polish cooperation on migration issues is becoming ever stronger and more stable,” Minister Szijjártó said

News in Brief Prime Minister

Hungary’s FM: Government rejects Belgian Prime Minister’s “ultimatum” on migration

Feb 07, 2018

Charles Michel’s “ultimatum” is “coercion”, and Hungary will never yield to it, Hungary's foreign minister said

News in Brief

Hungary says it will do everything in its power to close all loopholes open to illegal migration

Feb 06, 2018

Zoltán Kovács said that in Hungary’s experience, “self-proclaimed” charity or human rights organizations “operate according to a very different kind of political agenda”

News in Brief

Public debate on the Stop Soros legislative package is still underway, says minister

Feb 06, 2018

Bence Tuzson, minister of state for Government Communication, said the draft bill will be put before parliament in late February and the goal of the legislative package is to “enact and enforce the overwhelming opinion of the people, and to take further steps to stop migration”

News in Brief

Government Spokesperson: Hungary's border fence continues to protect the country against an influx of migrants

Feb 02, 2018

Government Spokesperson Zoltán Kovács said that if it weren't for the border fence, Hungary would be experiencing illegal migrants arriving in their thousands

Blog

How are NGOs supporting illegal migration?

Jan 29, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

How are NGOs facilitating illegal migration? Here are some examples.

News in Brief

Hungary’s foreign minister slams comments made by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres glorifying migration

Jan 26, 2018

Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said that “migration must be stopped rather than supported”

News in Brief

Hungary and Slovakia’s defense ministers meet to discuss ways of tackling the migrant crisis

Jan 26, 2018

István Simicskó, minister of Defense, and his Slovak counterpart Péter Gajdos discussed security challenges posed by migration to Europe, and prospective defense cooperation within the Visegrád Four (V4) grouping and between the two countries

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: Hungary will not take in immigrants and will not resettle anyone in the country

Jan 22, 2018

During an interview on Kossuth Radio’s “180 Minutes” program, the prime minister said that the government has never accepted the European Union’s quota regulations, and accordingly no one can demand any rights in Hungary based on those regulations

Blog

The “Stop Soros” bill: here’s our plan

Jan 19, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

This three-step legislative package creates a new situation,” Prime Minister Orbán said in his radio interview this morning. “Everybody, including George Soros, can decide what to do. Stop supporting or continue to organize and support illegal migration.”

News in Brief

Hungarian government announces “Stop Soros” law package to tackle illegal migration

Jan 18, 2018

Interior Minister Sándor Pintér suggested that Hungarians “organizing immigration” could be banned from the Schengen border zone under the new laws

Blog Prime Minister

PM Orbán in Welt am Sonntag: ‘We cannot help the world while destroying our own people’

Jan 16, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

Syrians running for their lives have every right to enter the first safe state they reach, but the EU shouldn’t let them march through Europe. Schengen, one of the EU’s greatest achievements has to be protected because if we fail to defend our external borders then the internal ones will have to be closed again. Prime Minister Orbán in Welt am Sonntag on migration, Europe, Germany and the mutual lack of understanding between East and West.

News in Brief

Hungary to help protect Macedonia's border until October 2018

Dec 19, 2017

Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said that from the point of view of security it is crucial that the western Balkans migration route continues to remain closed

News in Brief

FM Szijjártó: Tusk has spoken the truth with regard to the mandatory relocation quotas

Dec 14, 2017

The minister welcomed the fact that, finally, a serious European leader, the president of the European Council, has labeled mandatory relocation quotas for what they are: ineffective and divisive

Blog

Yes, Mr. Commissioner, quotas are ‘divisive’ and ‘ineffective’

Dec 13, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

In preparation for Thursday’s EU summit, President of the European Council Donald Tusk has circulated a note to EU leaders saying that “the issue of mandatory quotas has proven to be highly divisive and the approach has turned out to be ineffective.”

Blog

Migrant quota: first it was only 40 thousand but now it’s limitless

Dec 12, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

The Hungarian Parliament today rejected the European Parliament’s recent decision to establish a limitless and permanent migrant quota. In the resolution, Hungarian lawmakers said the decision would change irreversibly the continent’s future and called on the government to protect the country’s interests.

News in Brief

Hungary's FM says the mandatory resettlement quota was “unimplementable” at LIBE hearing

Dec 08, 2017

"Hungary will fight till the last breath to ensure that decisions that go against the security and will of the Hungarian people do not come into force," the foreign minister said

News in Brief

Hungary prepared for LIBE "show trial" over migrant quotas

Dec 05, 2017

Government Spokesperson Zoltan Kovács declared that Hungary has nothing to be ashamed about with relation to EU procedures and cooperation

News in Brief

United States pulls out of UN migration pact citing similar motives to PM Orbán in fight against illegal immigration

Dec 04, 2017

"Our decisions on immigration policies must always be made by Americans and Americans alone," the US ambassador to the UN said. "We will decide how best to control our borders and who will be allowed to enter our country"

News in Brief

Hungary's chief security advisor says migrant crisis shows no signs of ending

Dec 01, 2017

György Bakondi said more people are arriving from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sub-Saharan Africa, but are not fleeing war and are setting out for Europe in the hope of a better life because of economic problems in their homeland

News in Brief

Hungary will not be made into a pro-migration country, says government official

Dec 01, 2017

János Lázár, the minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office, said that Hungary investigated the ‘Soros files’, which was necessary to protect the Hungarian border and guarantee sovereignty, and were matters of national security

News in Brief

Hungary's National Consultation survey receives a record 2.2 million responses

Nov 29, 2017

Last chance for public to send in National Consultation responses before the December 1st deadline

News in Brief

Interpol arrest 40 human traffickers in Africa who help send migrants to Europe

Nov 27, 2017

Sources say it's a step in the right direction to tackle the migrant crisis at its source and prevent human traffickers from fueling migrant flows

News in Brief

Chief Security Advisor says existing border protection measures are effective, "no new fence is required"

Nov 24, 2017

“Hungary would only begin extending the existing border security fence or constructing a new one if the main direction of illegal immigration were to move to another stretch of the border, with Romania or Ukraine," György Bakondi said

News in Brief

Hungary hosts 21st International Parliamentary NATO Conference in Budapest

Nov 24, 2017

Mass migration, terrorism, hybrid threats, fake news and growing nationalism in Ukraine were in focus at the event

News in Brief

Hungarian government will block George Soros's attempts to bring illegal immigrants to Europe

Nov 23, 2017

The foreign minister said it was Hungarians rather than Soros that elected the current government and parliament. Hungarians can decide what’s good for them even without a US speculator, he added

News in Brief

EU should contribute to cost of Hungary's border fence, says minister

Nov 17, 2017

Hungary stands by its position that the European Commission should contribute to the costs of the country’s border fence

Blog

The European Parliament has decided to carry out the Soros plan

Nov 17, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

Hate to say we told you so, but that moment that Hungary has long been warning against has arrived. The European Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) has approved a regulation that would introduce a mandatory migrant quota system without an upper limit on the number of migrants. If this regulation is enacted, the European Parliament has approved the permanent quota system and is carrying out the plan of billionaire financier George Soros, seemingly point by point.

News in Brief

Hungary's supreme court finds dismissal in Ahmed H case unlawful

Nov 15, 2017

Hungary’s supreme court has ruled that a Szeged appeals court’s dismissal of a first-instance ruling and order of a retrial in the Ahmed H case is unlawful

News in Brief

Hungarian government allocates 51 billion HUF for border protection measures up until the end of 2017

Nov 10, 2017

The funds are to ensure that Hungary remains one of the safest countries in Europe and the World, and to protect the country from illegal immigrants

News in Brief

Hungary's chief security advisor says the negative effects of the migration process have become commonplace in Europe

Nov 09, 2017

The Hungarian government has been consistently enforcing its measures and laws aimed at assuring security in the interests of protecting Hungarian and European citizens

News in Brief

Hungary's stance on migration gains strength in the United States

Nov 07, 2017

Hungary's chief security advisor said that the European Union has failed to find a solution to the migrant crisis over the course of two and a half years

News in Brief

Hungary tries to save Christian cross earmarked for removal by French authorities

Nov 03, 2017

“Is it really true that in 21st century Europe we are removing a Christian symbol? Is everyone entitled to religious freedom except for Christians?," Minister Szijjártó asked, adding that these were pivotal issues that affected the fate of the continent

Blog

This Channel 4 journalist doesn’t understand the difference between freedom of movement in the EU and illegal migration

Oct 31, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

Last week while in London, I had the pleasure of sitting for an interview with Krishnan Guru-Murthy on ITN’s Channel 4 News. Our conversation focused on the migration crisis and, specifically, Prime Minister Orbán’s opposition to allowing mass immigration to Europe.

News in Brief

"Pakistani butcher" who killed 70 people arrested in Hungary

Oct 26, 2017

A hitman, nicknamed the "Pakistani butcher", wanted by police for assassinating 70 people was arrested in Hungary on Tuesday

News in Brief

Hungary's FM: Brussels is still trying to settle refugees in Europe

Oct 23, 2017

Hungary’s foreign minister has said that it is clear Brussels is still trying to distribute illegal immigrants to EU member states

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: Italy must be helped to protect its borders

Oct 20, 2017

PM Orbán suggested that to help Italy tackle migrants arriving from Africa, the establishment of a fund similar to the one previously set up for Turkey, where EU member states would contribute in a similar ratio, would be one solution

Speeches and Remarks Prime Minister

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Kossuth Radio’s “180 Minutes” programme

Oct 10, 2017

6 October 2017

News in Brief

V4 interior ministers agree that external borders must be protected to secure Schengen area

Oct 06, 2017

During a meeting, held under Hungary’s V4 presidency, the interior ministers decided to offer help in protecting the external Schengen borders to all countries concerned

News in Brief

Hungary's FM: We think illegal migration is a security threat to Europe

Oct 02, 2017

Hungary's foreign minister has appeared on Al Jazeera television defending the country's position on the migrant crisis

News in Brief

PM Orbán: It is in the interests of both Hungary and Europe for the Balkan migration route to remain closed

Sep 29, 2017

PM Orbán said modern-day migration is chasing and pushing huge numbers of people towards Europe, and one of the routes along which these tens of millions of people are moving towards the continent is the Balkan migration route

News in Brief

Hungary's FM: Illegal migration poses a serious security threat to Europe

Sep 21, 2017

During an interview on the BBC Hardtalk program, Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said it was highly problematic that the European Union failed to get the migrant situation under control at the start of the crisis

News in Brief

ECHR refers Hungary's appeal over Bangladeshi migrants to its Grand Chamber

Sep 20, 2017

Pál Völner, state secretary at the justice ministry, said Hungary welcomes the ruling by the court

News in Brief

Hungary's border protection measures are still necessary says government spokesperson

Sep 18, 2017

“There is continuous migration pressure on our borders; without the measures that are still in place today, the situation would be much worse," said Government Spokesperson Zoltán Kovács

Blog

POLITICO: “Orbán wins the migration argument”

Sep 15, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

In an article published this morning, “Orbán wins the migration argument,” POLITICO Europe writes: “Suddenly most EU leaders echo the Hungarian prime minister.”

News in Brief

Hungarian government denies claims its about to reach an agreement with the EC over mandatory resettlement quotas

Sep 12, 2017

Government Spokesperson Zoltán Kovács said the claims made by German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) where "no more than German electioneering hot air, and not a word of it is true"

Blog

The New York Times editors really still don’t get it

Sep 11, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

“Hungary is making Europe’s migrant crisis worse,” according to the New York Times editorial board in an op-ed published over the weekend. How?

News in Brief

Hungarian government says immigration can't be tied to cohesion funds

Sep 08, 2017

"The Commission should not only oversee the fulfilment of the obligations related to immigration, but should also take the security of the EU’s citizens into consideration," the minister heading the Prime Minister's Office said

Speeches and Remarks Prime Minister

PM Orbán's response to President Jean-Claude Juncker

Sep 08, 2017

September 6, 2017

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: European Court decision won’t change Hungary’s immigration policies

Sep 08, 2017

Hungary is a member of the European Union, EU treaties must be respected, therefore the rulings of the European Court of Justice must be acknowledged, said Prime Minister Viktor Orbán this morning in response to the decision from the European Court of Justice on migrant quotas. However, he added, that is not a reason to change Hungary’s immigration policies, which reject mass migration.

News in Brief

European Commissioner threatens to take legal action against countries who refuse to take in illegal immigrants

Sep 07, 2017

The EC has urged member states that have refused to take in migrants - specifically Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic - to step up their efforts to relocate illegal immigrants from Greece and Italy

News in Brief

Hungarian government expects further legal disputes with European Commission

Sep 07, 2017

“The decision on the mandatory resettlement quota expires on September 26, and further legal disputes are expected concerning whether it must still be implemented following the deadline,' Bakondi said

News in Brief

Hungarian government is "getting sick of statements concerning solidarity"

Sep 07, 2017

“Why isn’t border protection included in the category of solidarity? Aren’t we showing solidarity by sending help to Slovenia and Bulgaria?," Hungary's foreign minister said

News in Brief

Hungary's Foreign Minister in response to Angela Merkel: PM Orbán ordered the Hungarian authorities to uphold Schengen rules in all circumstances

Sep 05, 2017

Minister Szijjártó said it was an “honor” for Hungary that its efforts were mentioned during Germany's political debate and recognition that Germany was “finally aware of the efforts Hungary is making to fulfil its commitments to the bloc by protecting itself and Europe”

News in Brief

Hungary's border fence is not only protecting the country but also Western Europe, says foreign minister

Sep 05, 2017

“Hungary has incurred over 800 million euros in costs and expenses relating to border protection tasks, and we are justified in expecting the EU to refund part of this expenditure based on solidarity," Hungary's foreign minister said

Blog

These Western leaders are beginning to sound like PM Orbán on migration

Sep 05, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

Recently, following his meeting with Irish PM Leo Varadkar Canadian Premier Justin Trudeau ‘sounded the alarm’ on the growing number of immigrants entering Canada. Although “Canada is an opening and welcoming society,” Prime Minister Trudeau said, “we are also a country of laws” and “there are rigorous immigration and customs rules that will be followed. Make no mistake”.

News in Brief

Next year's general election is a choice between PM Orbán or the dismantling of Hungary’s border fence

Sep 04, 2017

“We have a choice between protecting our country or allowing it to change forever,” Fidesz party’s communications chief said, citing recent estimates, according to which 60 million migrants are expected to flee Africa for Europe over the coming years

News in Brief

PM Orbán: Government's accomplishments at stake in 2018 general election

Sep 04, 2017

PM Orbán spoke about a changing world order at the 16th annual Civic Picnic in Kötcse, in southwestern Hungary

News in Brief

Hungary's deputy speaker says Angela Merkel was mistaken when she said the Hungarian government “misled” migrants

Aug 31, 2017

Merkel said that migrants who had departed from Budapest on foot towards the Austrian border in 2015 had done so because they had been “misled” by the Hungarian government

News in Brief

Hungary's Chief Security Advisor says the mandatory distribution of migrants is not the solution

Aug 17, 2017

György Bakondi also stated that the activities of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) which often assist migration in cooperation with networks of people smugglers pose a threat to internal security

News in Brief

Hungary's Chief Security Advisor says population numbers have reached their limits in EU Member States where there are migrants in large numbers

Aug 15, 2017

The EU may offer African countries financial grants in exchange for preventing the progress of migrants, György Bakondi said

News in Brief

Hungarian authorities continue investigation into terrorist Salah Abdeslam

Aug 14, 2017

Abdeslam was responsible for the Bataclan shootings and a series of attacks in Belgium. The Hungarian authorities are trying to identify all persons that Abdeslam made contact with while in Hungary

Blog

The EU is surrounded by states that fail to counter human trafficking

Jul 26, 2017

“Human trafficking is one of the most tragic human rights issues of our time,” according to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in the State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons Report. Among other findings, the report clearly reveals that Europe is under serious threat. It is high time, the text shows, for European authorities and legislators to start taking border protection seriously.

News in Brief

Migrant Crisis: Hungary says hotspots should be created on Libyan soil to vet asylum seekers before they reach Europe

Jul 25, 2017

Hungary's foreign minister has called for the revival of an Austro-Italian initiative to get the EU to contribute to the protection of the southern Libyan borders

Blog

Where have I heard this before?

Jul 21, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

“Change is happening country by country,” said Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in a recent radio interview, “and after Italy we await the next member state to join our club.”

News in Brief

Hungary will keep its Southern border standing to protect EU from terrorism

Jul 19, 2017

Hungary will only give refugee status to those who have indeed fled countries where their lives were in danger. Hungary’s asylum regulations conform to the Geneva Conventions

News in Brief

Hungary supports assisting those who are truly eligble for asylum

Jul 17, 2017

The pressure from illegal migration is still not receding, and in fact a significant increase is being observed along both the Mediterranean migrating route and from Morocco to Spain

News in Brief

Hungary rejects the EU's mandatory migrant resettlement quotas

Jul 12, 2017

Hungary supports stricter regulations against NGOs ferrying migrants across the sea to Europe

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán to head of Hungarian Jewish Communities: 'a modicum of assistance would be appreciated'

Jul 11, 2017

PM Orbán highlighted that illegal immigration is bringing a culture of intolerance and growing anti-Semitism into Europe. The prime minister wrote that “I do not expect either thanks or recognition for our fight against illegal migration, but a modicum of assistance from your community would be appreciated”

News in Brief

PM Orbán: It was a mistake to kill Gaddafi and European armed forces are needed to patrol Libya's northern shores

Jul 07, 2017

PM Orbán also said Soros is intent on importing one million migrants to Europe and other plans include stripping EU member states of their right to decide on immigration policy

News in Brief

Hungarian army contingent arrives in Estonia while 166 migrants apprehended within a week

Jul 04, 2017

Personnel mainly from the Hungarian Defence Forces 25th Klapka György Infantry Brigade (Tata) were transported by a C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft to their new Estonian barracks on Sunday

Speeches and Remarks Prime Minister

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s speech at the closing event for the National Consultation

Jun 29, 2017

27 June 2017, Budapest

News in Brief

Deputy PM Semjén: We must stop migration to protect Hungary

Jun 29, 2017

Deputy PM said we must support Hungarian families, and we must reinforce Christian identity

News in Brief

PM Orbán: We want Hungarians to come first and prosper from economic success

Jun 28, 2017

PM Orbán said that in this democracy he can see no one asking the people for guidance except his own party

Blog

Blame Hungary

Jun 23, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

It was one of the most heinous crimes from the dark days of the migrant crisis in 2015. The trial began this week in Hungary of eleven men charged in the deaths of 71 migrants, victims of human traffickers, found in an abandoned refrigerator truck in August of that year.

Blog

Hungarian Presidency of Visegrád Four: Our group serves as example of strength from strong nation states

Jun 22, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

“Over the past two years, the Visegrád Four,” said Prime Minister Orbán on Monday in Warsaw, “have succeeded in not only protecting Hungary, but also the southern border of Europe.”

News in Brief

Hungarian trial begins over murder of 71 refugees found suffocated to death in lorry

Jun 21, 2017

One Afghan and three Bulgarian nationals appeared in court on Wednesday and are facing life. Eleven men in total are reported to be facing charges, one is on the run

Blog

Borders must be protected

Jun 20, 2017 - György Bakondi

The migration crisis has besieged Europe for two years, and the terms “migration” and “immigration” have taken on new meaning because of it.

Speeches and Remarks Prime Minister

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s reply to opposition comments on his address in Parliament before the start of daily business

Jun 16, 2017

12 June 2017, Budapest

Speeches and Remarks Prime Minister

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s address in Parliament before the start of daily business

Jun 16, 2017

12 June 2017, Budapest

News in Brief

Hungary builds relations with Bavaria

Jun 09, 2017

Hungary and Bavaria discussed how to tackle illegal migration and the threat of terrorism. The two parties also discussed measures to help economic cooperation and tourism

Blog

Illegal Migration: What is going on in the Mediterranean Sea?

Jun 08, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

An interesting video surfaced recently in the deep corners of Youtube, a two-minute clip that uses open-source information on marine traffic to allegedly show how pro-migration NGO vessels are shuttling illegal migrants from the coast of Libya to Italy.

News in Brief

PM Orbán: The only network which “operates like a mafia” in Hungary is run by George Soros

Jun 02, 2017

Soros’s network and its "agencies" were “a significant and non-transparent component of Hungary’s public life”. Soros and “his supporters in Hungary” were seeking to implement “a program to allow migrants into the country," the prime minister said

News in Brief

Hungarian government receives a record 1.68 million responses to "national consultation" questionnaire

Jun 01, 2017

The government intends to continue tackling illegal migration and to maintain the right to regulate taxes, wages and utility prices as national competencies

News in Brief

Hungarian authorities detain 123 migrants over past four days

Jun 01, 2017

Hungarian police revealed that the offenders did not have passports or any form of identification, and were subsequently escorted back to the Serbian border

News in Brief

Hungary reluctant to relax laws surrounding illegal immigration

May 30, 2017

Hungary's government spokesperson has said that the country is staunchly against any attempt to relax the existing legal framework surrounding the issue of illegal migration

News in Brief

Opposition figure Botka calls for demolishing border fence amid heightened terror threat

May 27, 2017

Government Spokesperson Zoltán Kovács said László Botka’s remarks had “let the cat out of the bag" and “clearly corresponds to George Soros’s scenario"

Blog

“Eurodame” to the rescue!

May 23, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

“This is the kind of doublespeak Hungary is seeking to combat,” I said in response to a reporter’s recent inquiry about a video produced with the support of the European Commission. “[W]hile everyone should be complying with EU regulations, propaganda materials supporting migration are being made from EU money.”

News in Brief

Hungarian Police: 'We do not hold asylum-seekers captive'

May 23, 2017

"We do not hold asylum-seekers captive. They are free to leave towards Serbia anytime," said Zsolt Gulyás, deputy police captain in Csongrád Country, in an article published in the Danish newspaper Politiken.

News in Brief

PM Orbán: The heart of Europe is in the people, not Brussels

May 22, 2017

"Many think that Europe is in Brussels, where instructions are given to member states," the prime minister said, adding that this kind of ideology led to the financial crisis of 2008. It also led to the “free movement of illegal migrants replacing the free movement of labor"

News in Brief

Hungary welcomes German and Italian calls for EC to establish border protection mission in Libya

May 18, 2017

“The Hungarian government fully agrees with the proposal, especially in view of the fact that 42,500 illegal immigrants have arrived in Italy as of mid-April, and many more are expected to set out for the continent with the arrival of good weather," Hungary's foreign minister said

News in Brief

Hungary says illegal immigration must be tackled at point of origin

May 17, 2017

The EU Commissioner for migration has said that it is the legal and moral obligation of the member states of the European Union to participate in the EU mechanism to resettle 160,000 asylum-seekers

News in Brief

Hungarian prosecutors call for life sentences for people smugglers responsible for 71 migrant deaths in refrigerated lorry

May 05, 2017

The public prosecutor of Bács-Kiskun county said that altogether 1,200 people were transported illegally to western Europe between February 2015 and August of the same year on 31 occasions in sealed and crowded lorry compartments

News in Brief

Hungary defends itself against migrant pressure from Brussels

May 04, 2017

Hungary does not wish to change its immigration regulations, and if the Brussels Commission launches legal proceedings the government is ready to fight the resulting legal battle

News in Brief

Hungary says it's about time Brussels grasped the facts

May 02, 2017

“We expect the Hungarians to be given the respect they have a right to and we draw the attention of the Brussels bureaucrats to the fact that while they are centered on Hungary, the country is defending the borders of the European Union from illegal immigration," the minister said

News in Brief

Hungary won't submit to political pressure but will debate legal issues with EU

May 02, 2017

Hungary is showing willingness to allow entry to migrants aged 14-18, but only following DNA testing that can definitively prove whether they are indeed members of the given age group

Speeches and Remarks Prime Minister

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Kossuth Radio’s “180 Minutes” programme

May 02, 2017

April 28, 2017

Blog

The troubling alliance between NGOs and human traffickers off Europe’s southern border

Apr 29, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

An increasing number of reports indicate that non-governmental organizations are collaborating with human traffickers to illegally transport migrants into Europe, undocumented and unchecked.

News in Brief

Hungary takes up the fight against extremism

Apr 28, 2017

Hungary wants to quell the spread of extremism before it has a chance to even take root, the minister of Interior has said

News in Brief

Border security is the key to Hungary's homeland security

Apr 18, 2017

Hungary's chief security advisor made the remarks in light of more than eighty people who have started demonstrations in the locality of Röszke. Bakondi said that a "Soros organization” arrived at the scene with organized transport

News in Brief

Recent terror attacks emphasize the need for reinforced border

Apr 12, 2017

The number of attempts to illegally cross the border have fallen significantly since the stricter regulations were introduced and rather than undergoing checks and being identified, migrants are instead avoiding the Hungarian border and attempting to enter Europe via new routes

News in Brief

Hungary complies with all EU regulations regarding the protection of external borders

Apr 07, 2017

Those crossing the border illegally will be granted decent conditions in transit zones in Tompa and Röszke, outside the south borders of Hungary

News in Brief

Hungary's border reinforcements are "working well and without problems"

Apr 03, 2017

No one has been able to enter the territory of Hungary illegally since the legal border reinforcement because the authorities have prevented this, and the migrants who were apprehended in the interior of the country were accompanied back to the transit zones

Blog

Is the European Court of Human Rights going to tell you who gets to cross the border into Europe?

Mar 30, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

According to Schengen rules, if people enter the Schengen zone by crossing the Hungarian border and do not have proper documentation, then Hungary has a legal obligation to ensure that those people do not leave until their status is clarified.

News in Brief

Hungary never closed its borders to migrants says minister

Mar 29, 2017

"Hungary actually never closed its borders to refugees or migrants. Anyone, even in the last two years, who wanted to cross the border legally [could use] border crossing stations. You provide your papers, your passport, and if you don’t have one, you basically play by the rules of the authorities and by the legislation of the EU," Hungary's deputy minster of Foreign Affairs and Trade said

News in Brief

Hungary's new migration policy has seen the number of attempted illegal entries fall dramatically

Mar 29, 2017

György Bakondi, the chief security advisor to the prime minister, said the double border fence and “legal border seal” have thwarted attempts to enter the country

News in Brief

The Helsinki Committee is attacking the reinforced legal border barrier

Mar 29, 2017

The Helsinki Committee is attacking the reinforced legal border barrier - during the course of its overzealous activities it is attacking non-existent container prisons using faulty legal reasoning, according to a statement released today by the Ministry of Interior.

News in Brief

PM Orbán signs declaration on improving and protecting the EU's future

Mar 27, 2017

The prime minister emphasized the importance of taking steps against illegal migration and tackling terrorism, and a commitment to creating jobs

News in Brief

Hungary rejects Council of Europe commissioner's claims that new migrant rules set a "bad example" for Europe

Mar 15, 2017

Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, made the comments after Nils Muizniek claimed Hungary sets a "bad example" for the whole region

News in Brief

Hungary responds to UNHCR claim that it 'tramples on European Union laws'

Mar 08, 2017

The Hungarian government has said that it gives priority to the interests and security of Hungarians, and no illegal migrants will be let into the country without a due assessment of their application for asylum

News in Brief

Hungarian court convicts seven Syrian and Iraqi men for taking part in migrant riots

Mar 01, 2017

The Court of Appeal in the southern city of Szeged has convicted seven Syrian and Iraqi men for their role in a migrant riot at the Röszke border crossing in 2015

News in Brief

Hungary says no UN member state should use human rights as a pressure tool against other nations

Mar 01, 2017

Hungary's foreign minister said it is important that no UN member state should use human rights as a tool of exerting pressure on another state. It is equally important that none of the member states should “be held hostage” in a dispute that purely concerns inter-state relations