"Blindness" by CoE, UNHCR critics "endangering" European civilization: Hungary FM

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto on Monday warned that "blindness" by the Council of Europe (CoE) and the UNHCR, or the UN refugee agency, could lead to the end of European civilization.

He was responding a request from these organizations which in a statement issued earlier the day urged Hungary to "refrain from policies and practices that promote intolerance, fear and fuel xenophobia against refugees and migrants."

Rejecting the allegation, Szijjarto said Hungary is talking about reality.

Hungary, now as in the past, offers protection to all people who are truly entitled to it, but it cannot accept tens or hundreds of thousands of economic immigrants, he said.

According to the organizations, the Hungarian government launched a new public campaign in December, "portraying those fleeing war and conflict as criminals, invaders and terrorists based on their religious beliefs and places of origin."

"We have never said that all immigrants were terrorists," Szijjarto said. "What we do say is that the uncontrolled inflow of illegal immigrants is increasing the hazard of terrorism in Europe," he continued.

Szijjarto was particularly vehement in rejecting the position of CoE and UNHCR that Hungary was tasked with helping these people begin a new life in Europe. That, he said, was the biggest mistake of the migration crisis.

Hungary's job is not to help millions or tens of millions of people in beginning a new life in Europe, he said, but to help them to get back their old lives. Enditem