Magyar said that Hungary’s measures were aimed at protecting not only Hungary but all members of the European Union. He said the minister’s comments were especially inappropriate given that Hungary is assuming “almost a bigger role than it can bear” in handling the migrant crisis and is under greater migration pressure than any other European country.

“Hungary’s actions conform to both national, EU and international standards,” Magyar said. He said Hungary is simply protecting the Schengen borders by directing migrants to legal border crossing points, as prescribed by EU law. The state secretary said the minister’s comments were “unacceptable and baffling”, and reflected his “indifference and ignorance” because France had recently built “a fence even larger than Hungary’s” in Calais.

He said Hungary does not see the solution to the crisis in “dividing contingents among ourselves in Europe” but rather in protecting those in need while addressing the issue of economic migration outside the EU’s borders. In response to a question about police not letting migrants board trains at Budapest’s Keleti railway station, Magyar said police were doing their duty, as Schengen rules made it clear that migrants can only travel from one EU country to another if they have all their travel papers in order.

Referring to Austrian police checking trains headed to Vienna, he said authorities had a right to check the trains, and recent developments showed that other governments also intend to protect their borders. He said European leaders were in constant talks on how to find an EUwide solution to the crisis.

As long as Hungary does not see “meaningful” solutions from the EU, it will use its own methods to protect its borders, Magyar said. Fabius said in an interview with Europe 1 commercial radio, I-Tele news channel and French daily Le Monde on Sunday that the behaviour of countries in eastern Europe was “scandalous” in connection with migration.

He said that Hungary’s erecting a fence demonstrated disrespect for common European values.

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MTI photo: Marjai János