Interview – Orbán hopes referendum ensures “strong sword” against Brussels

Budapest, September 22 (MTI) – Hungary’s upcoming quota referendum will determine “how strong a sword voters can forge” to use in their fight against “Brussels bureaucrats”, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in an interview to news portal Origo on Thursday.

In his interview, Orbán said should the European Union “force upon us” mandatory migrant quotas, “it would impact each Hungarian municipality”. “Unless we reject the forced quotas, a resettled migrant family might suddenly turn up next door,” he argued.

Orbán said the October 2 referendum is crucial for Hungary’s future, and added that “all voters are needed”. “A single person disinterested in their homeland’s future is a disappointment. I would only be satisfied if a full 100 percent of voters turned up,” the prime minister said.

Concerning migrants, Orbán said that all illegal entrants should be rounded up and placed in camps set up outside the EU, with financial assistance from the community.

“Migrants could then submit their applications, and if they find a recipient country, they could come,” he said.

The EU’s external borders must be protected or else “the problem will reoccur”, Orbán said. Borders should “not be eliminated but used” because they ensure protection, he argued. “I would not like to see… Hungary change its culture. I love this country as it is and would not want anyone to change it on instructions from the outside,” the prime minister insisted. “We will have a referendum so that Hungarians can indicate if they want change under a utopia or if they prefer staying Hungarian as they have through the centuries,” he added.