Hungarian FM: Clear distinction must be made between refugees, illegal migrants

The international community should make it clear that there is a distinct difference between refugees and illegal migrants, and act accordingly, the Hungarian foreign minister said in Geneva on Wednesday.

The foreign ministry cited Péter Szijjártó telling the plenary session of the Global Refugee Forum that Hungary was under dual pressure, from the east by the war in Ukraine and from the south by the serious challenge posed by protecting the EU’s external border from the direction of the currently busiest Western Balkans migration route.

International law clearly states that people forced to flee a country have the right to stay temporarily in the first safe country they enter but they have no right to cross through several safe countries in order to reach the destination of their choice, he said.

“Hypocrisy should be abandoned and it should be clearly stated that there is a distinct difference between refugees and illegal migrants,” Szijjártó said.

Those that flee from war and arrive in the first safe country must be regarded as refugees there who have the right to stay temporarily but those that cross through a series of safe countries by violating borders must be regarded as illegal migrants and they must be stopped, he said.