State Visit: How to Settle Orbán with Merkel's Asylum Policy – Politics – Current Political News

The gap between Chancellor Merkel and Hungary's nationalist leader Orbán is insurmountable.

By
Bernhard Junginger

When the "Chancellor of Refugees" meets the man who stands in Europe like no other to isolate himself completely from migration, the conflict can hardly be avoided. But that this would come between Viktor Orbán and Angela Merkel to a verbal exchange so difficult, was not planned. Two totally contradictory perspectives on immigration collide when the Hungarian prime minister visits the German Chancellor in Berlin for the first time since 2014.

And as soon as both entered the press after their talks at the Chancellery their expressions betray: pleasant meeting. It takes time to smile, the two seem tense, the man in the dark blue suit and the mauve tie and the bright red top woman already harmonize optically. The usual exchange of courtesy during state visits is then quickly completed. That Germany and Hungary work together well together, that they together want to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Hungarian border for the citizens of the GDR in the coming year – just pretexts

A Carefree Compromise

Refugee policy eclipses the once overly optimistic relationship between countries. And Merkel's hope that it will soon change, that Hungary could be ready to resume the compromise on asylum with his Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, refugees already registered in Hungary, is bitterly disappointed. Hungary, says Orbán, does not even think about it. Because in his opinion, his country is not responsible for any refugee.

Even if Hungary registers refugees, that does not mean that its country is obliged to take care of them, says Orbán. Thanks to the constant protection of its southern border with Serbia, Hungary could not be the first land of immigration. Responsible in almost all cases is Greece, which does not register many refugees. Orbán also praises Merkel, but she is poisoned. It is gratifying that Germany has recently committed itself to better protecting Europe's external borders and establishing hot spots, refugee camps. "The old aspirations of Hungary are fulfilled," says the man of the authoritarian nationalist Fidesz, whose Hungarian government threatens refugee workers with prison sentences. For Hungary, "We do not want to import problems."

The humanity that Merkel said would attract migrants

Merkel replied: "It's about people coming to us, who have something to do with humanity." L & # 39; Europe should not isolate itself. The press conference looks like a boxing match of arguments. Instantly contradicts Orbán. The humanity that Merkel thinks would create "pull factors", which would initially attract migrants.

Merkel now defends his policy, speaking of the year 2015, when the flow of refugees to Hungary and Austria began in Germany. "Conjures European solidarity, and she says that in the future there must also be legal means to come to Europe from Africa, to work or to study."

Orbán n & nbsp; It's more than just cool, but finally angry, that Hungary does not show solidarity in Europe, it could not stand it, and its country places 8,000 armed forces at its borders 24 hours a day. four to five thousand migrants would come every day to Germany. "Hungary takes" a heavy burden on the shoulders of Germany by not letting anybody in. "

Listen to the compromise of asylum between CSU and CDU and our last podcast:

Subjects Follow