Government spokesman: Basic issues at LIBE hearing already clarified

Brussels (MTI) – The Hungarian government has already clarified with European institutions the majority of issues concerning basic rights that are expected to be brought up at a hearing by the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) on Monday, the government spokesman said.

The state of constitutionality in Hungary is a topic on the agenda, Zoltan Kovács said, adding, however, that substantive issues were announced only a few hours before the meeting commences.

The hearing is “politically motivated” and the document to be discussed was drafted by “so-called civil organisations” that carry out political activities, he added.

These civil organisations are attempting to interfere in politics “without the authorisation of the people”, which is why increased transparency is needed in the case of those trying to obtain a decisive political role, Kovács said. The role of civil organisations is also a matter of dispute in western Europe and the United States, he added.

Kovács told public news channel M1 that Monday’s hearing would be directed against the government’s migration policy, with civil organisations and politicians that “assist migration” arguing against the Hungarian government. Over the past 18 months, the government has persistently stood by its position in connection with illegal migration. The move to set up a second line of defence has been necessary in order to reduce the number of migrants to zero and “to make it impossible for them to come to Europe illegally,” he added.

Hungary has introduced stricter legal regulations because migrants had learnt how to circumvent Hungarian and European Union regulations, so these loopholes have had to be closed, Kovács said.

Other European countries have already introduced or plan to introduce several elements of the measures proposed by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, so Hungary is a trailblazer, he said. But LIBE appears to include people who are still supportive of migration, Kovács said. The Hungarian government expects political conflicts in connection with the second line of defence and Hungary’s new regulations because the civil organisations that represent opposing political interests argue against protecting Europe, he added.

Justice Minister Lászlo Trócsányi, representing the Hungarian government, told the hearing that Hungary welcomes the participation of civil society in resolving the challenges facing Europe but their role should be differentiated from the role of governments since the latter have the strongest legitimacy. The government is open to dialogue and a number of issues have already been successfully concluded based on a constructive approach, he added.

Trócsányi told a press conference after the hearing that the majority of people addressing the LIBE hearing had been critical of Hungarian measures but the government’s migration policy was gradually being accepted and applied in Europe. Those who believe “everything is hunky-dory, that terrorism doesn’t exist and there’s no reason to be preoccupied by public security …” are deluding themselves.