The government and a majority of people living in Hungary do not want mandatory resettlement quotas forced upon them, Zoltán Kovács told Hungarian television channel M1 on Friday.
The government spokesperson pointed out that if the referendum on this is held in September or October, it will provide the government and the Prime Minster with the opportunity to express the opinion and incontrovertible will of one Member State – and hopefully a number of other member states – on the issue.
When asked whether rejection of the mandatory resettlement quotas in a referendum would amount to a rejection of the EU as a whole, Kovács called this assumption “silly”. He recalled that this allegation had been made about Hungary on a number of occasions in the past couple of years, when objections were raised relating to the system or approach of the EU.
“Having different opinions does not necessarily mean that we are against something," Kovács said. He added that it is in the interests of all for a well-functioning, effective and strong European Union to be able to respond to the challenges it is facing in the current migration crisis, and also in economic, social and demographic issues.