The way Brussels is dealing with Europe's migrant crisis is endangering the European people, Hungary's foreign minister has said.
Hungary’s government proposes that the EU should scrap its mandatory migrant quota scheme, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said. He argued that the EU is “unfit” to handle the migration crisis and only “aggravates” the situation.
He also highlighted how people smuggling networks should be broken up and the EU must prevent NGOs from helping people smugglers “regardless of whether or not this is their intention”. Finally, the EU should prevent boats carrying illegal migrants from leaving Libya’s shores or at the very least its waters, he added.
Minister Szijjártó made the remarks after meeting European Union colleagues in Brussels on Monday.
“There is no time to lose in resolving Europe’s migration crisis,” Minister Szijjártó said. The “lack of effective action” on the EU’s part even endangers those who make the trek across the Mediterranean and those who live in Europe “and don’t want to have to worry about more terror threats," he added.
According to MTI, the minister said that if the EU finally decides to undertake a mission to protect Libya’s southern border or strengthen its coast guard, the government is prepared to enter into immediate talks on Hungary’s contributions to such efforts. He also added that the V4 Group holds a common stance on this issue.
Minister Szijjártó said nearly 1,000 migrants cross Libya’s southern border each day heading to Europe. Migrants cross the Mediterranean with the help of people smuggling rings.
The minister said tens of thousands of people are endangered at sea on a daily basis, adding that Italy no longer has the capacity or patience to take in any more migrants. The migration crisis has also hurt Europe’s security because of the increased threat of terrorism, Minister Szijjártó added.