Conference of EU house speakers – Migrant resettlement must be voluntary, says Kövér

Luxembourg (MTI) – Any resettlement of migrants in European Union member states must be strictly voluntary, as mandatory resettlement is unacceptable, Parliamentary Speaker László Kövér said in Luxembourg on Monday.

Threats to sanction member states that do not take in migrants “do not suggest a democratic disposition”, Kövér told a conference of EU house speakers. This is the same power politics that Hungarians had come to know “from another union” before 1990, he said.

Hungary is ready to make financial contributions to any efforts that aim to resolve the migrant crisis outside of Europe, he said.

Kövér said Hungary does not agree with the European Commission’s proposal to reform the Dublin system, as it is not based on the consensus of member states.

Hungary views the migrant crisis as a security issue first and foremost, Kövér said. He noted that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had presented an action plan dubbed “Schengen 2.0” aimed at upholding Europe’s security by protecting the Schengen system. Hungary’s stance is that the Dublin rules can only be reformed once there is a guarantee that Schengen rules can be properly enforced, he said.