The Hungarian government has confirmed that their "Stop Soros" law will go ahead despite questions from Brussels.
The European Commission launched infringement proceedings against Hungary because of the “Stop Soros” legislative package and the related constitutional amendment in July. The body’s experts have raised concerns as to whether these are compatible with EU law. The government has two months to reply to the points raised.
“The government has drawn-up its responses to the issues raised by the European Commission (EC) with relation to the "Stop Soros" legislative package and the infringement proceedings launched with reference to the related constitutional amendment," the Ministry of Justice’s Parliamentary State Secretary Pál Völner said.
Völner said the government had sent the reply to the Commission on Wednesday. He confirmed that the essence of the response is that the restrictions included in the “Stop Soros” package and the constitutional amendment that bans the admission of migrants will not be rescinded.
According to kormany.hu, the government's official website, the Cabinet is critical of the fact that the EC continues to occupy an openly pro-immigration position instead of performing its role as protector of the law. It is also critical of the fact that the body is conducting itself in a political way and attacking immigration policy measures that facilitate border protection, the latest element of which is that they eventually want to remove member states’ right to protect their own borders via the EU’s border agency, Frontex.
The state secretary noted that following the adoption of the “Stop Soros” package and the constitutional amendment, the “main body of the Soros network”, the Open Society Foundation turned to the European Commission, which launched the infringement proceedings against Hungary within just four weeks. Völner said this is “martial rapidity” compared to previous practice.
The politician also spoke about the fact that the Hungarian response is expected to prove insufficient for the Commission, and it will therefore most likely be sending a so-called justified opinion.