Orbán’s cabinet: LIBE vote to reform Dublin rules goes against European Council intentions

The European Parliament civil liberties committee’s decision to approve draft reforms to the Dublin refugee system goes against even the European Council’s intentions, the government spokesman told the press in London on Tuesday.

The EP’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) last Thursday approved a draft text on modifying the Dublin Regulation with a view to speeding up asylum procedures and ensuring a more equal distribution of the burden of migration among member states.

The draft reforms covertly transfer sovereign competencies from European Union member states, Zoltán Kovács insisted, arguing that the reforms would create a body that would practically introduce a mandatory and permanent quota mechanism for the redistribution of migrants and asylum seekers across the bloc.

Kovács reiterated Hungary’s opposition to a mandatory migrant quota system, calling it a “dangerous endeavour” and saying that it went against the interests of member states.

Hungary’s stance on this has been “very consistent”, he said, adding that the country would challenge such measures. Hungary’s ongoing government survey dubbed “national consultation” also serves this purpose, he said.

Citing a recent NATO report saying that tens of millions of people were preparing to flee to Europe, Kovács said the developments on European borders “are not temporary”.