Migration quota disputes in the UN and EU

A right-wing columnist thinks that the Hungarian government is justified in dismissing the UN resolution on migration. A conservative critic of the government accuses PM Orbán of fear-mongering over migration.

Magyar Idők’s Levente Sitkei comments on the draft resolution to be tabled at the UN General Assembly, which would recognize migration as a human right. The pro-government pundit acknowledges that the resolutions of the UN General Assembly are not legally binding, but at the same time, they are still important politically. Sitkei thinks that UN resolutions can be used as moral trump cards in political disputes, and also that many of the recommendations made by the General Assembly will be implemented in national legislations. Sitkei concludes that the Hungarian government’s opposition to such a resolution is completely justified.

In Magyar Nemzet, Dávid László accuses Prime Minister Orbán of fear mongering. PM Orbán in a comment before the European Council summit said that the EU leadership ‘in unison with the Soros mercenaries in Hungary’ want to ‘pull down Hungary’s border fence and make Hungary an immigrant country’. Mr Orbán said that he would resist any such attempts as long as he remains Prime Minister. László admits that the European Council holds closed door meetings, but as the announced agenda does not mention issues of migration, the conservative critic of the government accuses PM Orbán of falsely implying that there was a debate over migration and border fence issues. Instead of posing as an anti-immigration freedom fighter, PM Orbán had better put up a fight to secure more structural funds for Hungary, László suggests.

After the first day of the summit, both Mr Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council and Antonio Tajani, the Speaker of the European Parliament spoke of ‘a profound need for an EU strategy managing migration.

Tags: Council of Europe, EU, migrant quotas, migration, Orbán, UN