On Wednesday December 20, the European Parliament and the Member States finally adopted the Asylum and Migration Pact. The objective is to better manage migratory flows towards Europe. The pact provides for a solidarity mechanism to relieve countries on the front line, such as Italy or Greece, by relocating arrivals to other countries. An agreement welcomed by Greece and Italy, but refused by one country: Hungary of the irreducible Viktor Orban.
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Hungary was unable to oppose the vote on Le migration pact because it took place by qualified majority. But as soon as the agreement was reached, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto declared: “ We strongly reject this migration pact. We will not let anyone in against our will. »
Read alsoThe European Union reaches agreement on a vast reform of migration policy
This opposition from Hungary is not a surprise. Prime Minister Viktor Orban had repeatedly stated that Hungary would not accept refugees on its soil. But in principle, Hungary cannot block the application of this agreement. It cannot refuse to receive refugees who would, for example, be relocated from Greece to Hungary.
The agreement applies to all member states, which have the choice between two possibilities: either accept refugees into their country, or pay compensation of 20,000 euros to help countries facing a migratory influx. But there is no third option. If Hungary refused to apply the Pact, one could imagine that the European Commission would launch an infringement procedure against Budapest, and this would not be the first time. In the end, Hungary would pay fines, but that would allow it to play for time.
One foot in the European Union, the other in Russia
Viktor Orban obstructs many European decisions, he recently blocked financial aid to Ukraine. According to a growing number of European leaders, Viktor Orban aims to sabotage European unity. This was recently observed by the Czech Minister for European Affairs, who declared on CNN: “ Viktor Orbán is a “Trojan horse” who shatters our unity and protects Russian interests. »
And the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs goes every month to Moscow, and he is also going to see President Lukashenko in Belarus. It is clear that Hungary is playing a double game: one foot in the European Union, and the other in Moscow. Viktor Orban himself said that he wanted to weaken the European Union from within and return to a Europe of nations. In this sense, it has the same vision as all the other far-right parties in Europe.
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