Hungary must withdraw from approving UN migration package, says Hungarian FM in NY

Hungary must withdraw from the process of adopting the United Nations‘ global migration package as it would have a binding effect on member states, the Hungarian foreign minister said on Friday.

Hungary must clearly state that it will never accept as binding any of the package’s provisions,

Péter Szijjártó told MTI in New York where he is attending a series of meetings discussing the draft.

“The final text goes completely against common sense, it is in conflict with Hungary’s interests and efforts aimed at restoring stability in Europe”, he said. The draft is aimed at “recklessly promoting migration” and focuses “exclusively on the interests of Africa, South America and small island states as it defines migration as a fundamental human right,” Szijjártó insisted. “This is a false approach,” he added.

“The package completely neglects the fundamental human rights of people who wish to live in safety and peace in their own homeland,” Szijjarto said.

If adopted, provisions of the document would qualify “as an invitation” for migrants which could trigger further waves of “millions” of migrants, Szijjártó said. Under the package, member states would be obliged to “provide all services to each migrant, and those services should be equal to ones provided to local residents,” the minister said. He went on to say that member states would be required to provide education to migrants, offer legal services through NGOs, while illegal migrants should be “granted legal status rather then sent home”. “Border protection would be required to be treated as a human rights rather than security issue,” Szijjarto said.