Problems of legitimacy raised by UN Secretary-General’s statement, says Hungarian FM

Hungary’s foreign minister in an interview on Sunday questioned both the content of a recent statement concerning migration by United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and whether the act of making it carried legitimacy. 

Speaking to public radio, Péter Szijjártó noted that Guterres had referred to migration as an opportunity for strengthening economies, reducing social disparities and linking various societies. The minister said the statement raised problems of legitimacy precisely because the global organisation was currently addressing directives that would be used to manage migration later on.

“We find it unconscionable that the Secretary-General has jumped the gun on such a debate, and essentially declared that the world can be certain of the fact that, on this issue, member states do not in any way enjoy equal standing,”

Szijjártó said, adding that the question must be raised as to whether there was any point in taking part in any future negotiations.

He said that, unlike the UN, the Hungarian government wants to prevent and halt migration rather than encourage and organise it.

Szijjártó said the situation was grave because the declaration would be political and adopted by the UN General Assembly. It would include, for example, that countries should not criminalise illegal border-crossing and they should loosen immigration rules, he added.