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Hungarian government calls on Portuguese EU presidency to reject migrant quotas

Justice Minister Judit Varga said Hungary’s standpoint on mandatory migrant quotas, in tandem with the Visegrad Group, remains the same as ever.

 

Justice Minister Judit Varga has said Hungary’s standpoint on mandatory migrant quotas, in tandem with the Visegrad Group, remains the same as ever, and it calls on the Portuguese European Union presidency to reject the quotas.

After a meeting of EU European affairs ministers, the minister said the chief aims of the Portuguese presidency were discussed at Monday’s meeting in parallel with a series of conferences on the EU’s future. Minister Varga added that Hungary’s standpoint is that economic policy, geared towards strengthening social rights, should be a sovereign matter.

Minister Varga also said Hungary expects the Portuguese presidency to implement the agreement on the rule of law making clear that funding could not be tied to “ideological expectations”.

Thursday’s EU summit will focus on coordination between member states on handling the coronavirus pandemic, the minister said, adding many EU government leaders lamented the sluggish pace of vaccine production, procurement and delivery.

Minister Varga also highlighted the movement of people in the bloc, saying the issue was gradually being taken up, adding that people who have already been vaccinated should be able to prove they are safe to travel. The minister accused the European Commission, however, of being tardy in formulating common guidelines in this area.

Photo credit: europarl.europe.eu