Addressing a press conference, state secretary Levente Magyar noted that the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) has been asked to prepare a report on Hungary with a view to holding an EP vote on launching the first steps of Article 7, which suspends voting rights.

Hungary and Brussels institutions and politicians are at odds over the issue of migration, Magyar said. “Hungary doesn’t want immigration,” he said. The Hungarian people want to decide for themselves whom they wish to live together with, “something that they have made clear on a number of occasions,” the state secretary added.

“This is what irritates certain politicians in Brussels.”

Hungary made the right choice when it openly rejected mandatory migrant quotas, Magyar said. Meanwhile, 20 of the EU’s member states approved the quota scheme but have failed to implement it, he added.

The mandatory quota scheme has failed, Magyar said, arguing that member states had only relocated 25% of the designated number of asylum seekers.

Asked about Tuesday’s talks with Sargentini, Magyar said they were “cordial”, but “surprisingly, the MEP was unaware of the basic facts” so Hungarian officials at the talks offered her their help.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.