Minister Judit Varga openly assured “Polish friends” of Hungary’s full solidarity and support when it came to the migration crisis caused by Belarus on the Polish-Belarusian border.
“We are connected by a common fate because geography and history located us on the EU’s external borders,” she said. Varga recalled that both Poland and Hungary decided to protect the European community against increasingly severe waves of migration.
“This is why we, Hungarians, also believe that the time has come for Brussels to share at least half of the cost of the Polish and Hungarian border fences. That would be fair,” she said.
The Hungarian justice minister emphasized that Hungary supports Poland’s belief that the EU should not support any state which has “direct or indirect association” with migration pressure on the Polish border and therefore the EU’s external border.
“European decision-makers should finally admit that by protecting the Polish border, not only Poland but the entire EU is protected from illegal migration,” she said.
Minister Judit Varga:
It is time for the European Commission to admit that the defense of the EU’s external borders is an undeniable expression of European solidarity.
Varga pointed out that the current system entails that everyone must be ensured a right to enter the territory of an EU member state without having to check the background of a person applying for asylum prior to them receiving permission to enter. She warned that this meant that no trace would be left of the applicant before EU authorities made their decision, as that person could be anywhere in the EU due to the Schengen zone freedom of movement.
Varga emphasized that a border fence also prevents secondary migration by barring entry to the EU of migrants of unknown origin.
The Hungarian justice minister also pointed out that, in 2015, Hungary decided to finance the construction of a border fence meant to protect Europe from crowds of illegal migrants.
“Back then, we heard only words of condemnation from everyone. Six years later, we can see, however, that the border fence is being supported even by those who previously attacked us the most aggressively. It is time for the European Commission to admit that the defense of the EU’s external borders is an undeniable expression of European solidarity. The efforts of member states in this direction deserve recognition and support,” she said, adding that Hungary has spent EUR 1.6 billion on border protection so far, while Brussels has offered to cover a scant 1 percent of that cost.
“The time has come for Brussels to appropriately contribute to our efforts and spending,” Varga declared.
