Pro- and anti-migrant signatures sought

Ruling party Fidesz has launched a signature drive in support of its policy of opposing European Union mandatory migrant quotas. Party group leader Lajos Kósa said the system to redistribute migrants among EU member states was “pointless” and would increase the risk of terrorism and crime. He insisted that the scheme contravened international treaties and would not be a solution to the “modern-day invasion”. The main target countries of migrants entering Europe illegally are Germany, Denmark and Sweden, Kósa said. “These people cannot be kept here by force unless we somehow guard them.” Otherwise “they will neglect all legal regulations” and return to their desired country. In response the opposition Együtt party has launched a signature drive to gather support for the quota scheme, Viktor Szigetvári, the party’s leader, said this Tuesday, adding that Együtt also wants stricter criteria for refugee support and more humane treatment of migrants. This is in contrast to ruling Fidesz, with its signature drive, and the opposition Socialists, who have done a U-turn on their migration policy, he said. Szigetvári welcomed a similar campaign by the leftist opposition Democratic Coalition, noting that the two parties had not coordinated on their action in advance, however. In response to this Fidesz said that “the whole Gyurcsány coalition” is now convened and even “Gordon Bajnai’s followers” have joined in to support the EU’s programme which would imply that Hungary should receive immigrants numbering as many as the inhabitants of a city the size of Szeged, within a short time. The governing party’s position on the other hand is that the country must be protected. It therefore asks everyone who, unlike Hungary’s Left, does not accept the EU’s mandatory quota system, to support Fidesz’s own signature drive on this matter, the statement said.