EU Commission questions legality of Hungary's migrant referendum

[webfact]

EU Commission questions legality of Hungary's migrant referendum



"We fail to understand how it would fit into the decision-making process which was agreed to by all member states, including Hungary, under the EU treaties"

BRUSSELS: -- The European Commission says Hungary’s planned referendum on the EU’s quota plan for asylum seekers may be at odds with an agreed strategy to handle the refugee crisis.

Hungary, whose border fence to keep migrants out underlines its stance, had already rebuffed the plan to accept a mandatory number of migrants who have arrived in Europe.

On Thursday Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced a referendum saying it would be a test of European democracy.

On Friday it outlined its reasoning in a summary of an interview Orban gave to the German newspaper Bild, published on the Hungarian government website.

In Brussels the EU executive questioned Hungary’s stance, saying they were seeking clarification from Budapest on the planned referendum.

“We, however, fail to understand how it would fit into the decision-making process which was agreed to by all member states, including Hungary, under the EU treaties,” said EU Commission Spokesperson Natasha Bertaud.

Last September EU governments decided 160,000 migrants would be redistributed over two years with each country taking a quota.

Now Budapest is saying that decision is against EU rules.

“We are challenging the quota decision at court (the European Court of Justice) and we firmly believe that that decision was made with a disregard to EU rules,” said Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto at a news conference.

The EU’s quota plan was agreed by majority vote by governments despite opposition from Hungary and other eastern states.

Several countries have moved to restrict the number of migrants and refugees from outside Europe.


-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-02-26

[SgtRock]

We fail to understand how it would fit into the decision-making process which was agreed to by all member states, including Hungary, under the EU treaties"

We know that YOU fail to understand, that is why there is currently a migrant crisis that is getting worse instead of better.

What treaties cover a migrant crisis of this magnitude ?

Exceptional times calls for exception measures.

Well done Orban

[NongKhaiKid]

Quite right EC, how dare a country try to defend its own borders and safeguard the well being of citizens.

It's totally improper for anyone to protect themselves against the stupidity of politicians like Merkel and idiot bureaucrats in Brussels who speak without thinking to look good then try to dodge the issue by blaming everyone else for not helping.

[than]

EC forget it just a consultative, Hungary is a sovereign country........

[Baerboxer]

Quite right EC, how dare a country try to defend its own borders and safeguard the well being of citizens.

It's totally improper for anyone to protect themselves against the stupidity of politicians like Merkel and idiot bureaucrats in Brussels who speak without thinking to look good then try to dodge the issue by blaming everyone else for not helping.

I don't think they're all that dumb. This was planned as it suits the federalists agenda, They, led by Merkel, Juncke and Hollande, want to hamstring all countries under a mountain of bureaucracy supported by a myriad of laws, rules, and procedures. The aim is to create a super state in which all decisions have to be approved by EU before a member state's government can implement them.

They aim to reduce the role of sovereign governments to that of local councils. With all real power and all major decisions taken centrally in Brussels and Strasbourg,

The Germans see themselves as running and managing all this, whilst the French cling to the hope Germany will let them share the lead, which they won't. The German ideal, which one of Merkel's cronies leaked out, is to create a bureaucratic mechanism of control such that elections won't be able to make any differences.

This is the democracy of the DDR that Merkel and her gang want to impose on the EU. And the dopey French socialists fall for it.

[Baerboxer]

EC forget it just a consultative, Hungary is a sovereign country........

If only others would not forget that. But the EU now act like they make the decisions based on rules they made which countries must abide by.

Federalism creeps forward. Forget democracy.

[Steely Dan]

Orban should reply that if that's the view of the EU commission we will change the referendum to decide whether or not to leave the EU. Happy now?

[Asheron]

I have wondered why there are so many who think that the EU is such a marvelous thing and praise it to the skies... i have come to the conclusion that they either have no idea what they are on about or they are somewhere on the left of the political scale. It doesn't matter if the persons says "no way, i'm right and i'm for EU" because they still don't understand that they really are left but they think they are right.

But Steely Dan above has a good plan, Hungary should tell EU **** you, drop their pants and show their butt to them and then change the referendum to "stay or leave".

[Galactus]

EC forget it just a consultative, Hungary is a sovereign country........

you cannot speak about a total sovereignty by being an EU member.

BC to be an EU member, you have to obey some rules and regulations.

you cannot just change the rules of the game while playing it.

so as a proud act, Hungary just need to a a referendum to leave EU then instead of this!

they can be a part of Russian influence again like before very well.

[Caveat Emptor]

BBC showed footage of the holdups at the Greek - Macedonian and one migrant on a train demanding to know why they had to wait, what was the problem ?

This is the atmosphere that Merkel and Co have created by their ' all welcome ' policy without bothering to tell other countries in advance so now migrants consider they have an absolute right to go where they want as they want and as borders close it's going to blow up.

No way will Angie, Juncker et al ever admit they made the slightest mistake and if everybody had co-operated the problem would never have come about but there's no getting away from the fact Europe is filled with unwanted migrants and they won't be going away.

[Galactus]

Orban should reply that if that's the view of the EU commission we will change the referendum to decide whether or not to leave the EU. Happy now?

and Hungary has that big balls?

while Russia is slowly extending its influence down to eastern europe again?

they better leave then but dont come and cry later when Russia again starts to interfere to the internal affairs of Hungary or when they semi invade them like Ukraine:)

Edited February 26, 2016 by Galactus

[Steely Dan]

Orban should reply that if that's the view of the EU commission we will change the referendum to decide whether or not to leave the EU. Happy now?

and Hungary has that big balls?

while Russia is slowly extending its influence down to eastern europe again?

they better leave then but dont come and cry later when Russia again starts to interfere to the internal affairs of Hungary or when they semi invade them like Ukraine:)

I think the Hungarians would argue they have already been semi-invaded. I think this plus ancient battles against the Mongols and Ottoman Turks may still be deeply rooted in their national psyche. To not reflect this would be for Orban to be the architect of his own political downfall.

[Ulic]

The Prime Minister of Hungary is about to find out the EU is not concerned about

democracy or your countries boarders. When Merkel wants your opinion she will give

it to you and she will make all decisions on what is best for the EU and you, as she

sees fit. Just look at the UK. slapped down and squished like a bug.

[Galactus]

Orban should reply that if that's the view of the EU commission we will change the referendum to decide whether or not to leave the EU. Happy now?

and Hungary has that big balls?

while Russia is slowly extending its influence down to eastern europe again?

they better leave then but dont come and cry later when Russia again starts to interfere to the internal affairs of Hungary or when they semi invade them like Ukraine:)

I think the Hungarians would argue they have already been semi-invaded. I think this plus ancient battles against the Mongols and Ottoman Turks may still be deeply rooted in their national psyche. To not reflect this would be for Orban to be the architect of his own political downfall.

dan maybe you are not aware of the fact that Hungarians are turkic originated?

and as their name states they are related with Huns which was also turkic originated.

so yes, i am sure they have some turkic roots in their national psyche but anyway who cares about their turkic roots?

anyway, they better do a referendum to decide whether they want o stay in EU or not instead of doing a referendum for the fate of migrants.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Galactus

[Jonmarleesco]

Well, as with every country, it's the voter that eventually calls the shots, not Brussels - though it would like to do so. Something I suspect Angela will find out to her cost, come the next German G.E.

[Jonmarleesco]

I have wondered why there are so many who think that the EU is such a marvelous thing and praise it to the skies... i have come to the conclusion that they either have no idea what they are on about or they are somewhere on the left of the political scale. It doesn't matter if the persons says "no way, i'm right and i'm for EU" because they still don't understand that they really are left but they think they are right.

But Steely Dan above has a good plan, Hungary should tell EU **** you, drop their pants and show their butt to them and then change the referendum to "stay or leave".

'I have wondered why there are so many who think that the EU is such a marvelous thing and praise it to the skies...' Because far too many have no idea - or have forgotten - that the E.U. started out as the E.E.C (the European ECONOMIC Community), which was what the U.K. actually joined.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Jonmarleesco

[wabothai]

I wished other European countries follow in Hungry's footsteps.

[Saradoc1972]

There is nothing to fail to understand about this. That referendum is quite probably legal in Hungary, it is not legal within the EU's legal framework.

What Orban is doing here is putting his foot down, as have the rest of the Visegrad states and Austria, on an issue he is not going to accept.

The EU, or at least those states trying to impose their views on (Muslim) migration on the rest, thankfully ever fewer in number, best heed that wjen proposing common policies, or it won't be any consolidated EU action on that crisis for years to come, instead it will be life bullets on the borders, which is what they have so been trying to avoid.

[mopar71]

The EU Commission should decide with of its laws should be obeyed and which should be ignored.

I believe that as a Schengen border state Hungary is obligated under EU law to keep their borders controlled and from being overrun by non-EU citizens without proper documents.

In addition, valid travel documents (passports) are required under EU law for traveling between Schengen countries for non-Schengen residents. That means Hungary would be breaking the law by allowing these migrants to board trains and buses headed for other Schengen countries unless they could show a valid passport and had a valid visa.

[SgtRock]

mopar71, on 28 Feb 2016 - 23:40, said:

The EU Commission should decide with of its laws should be obeyed and which should be ignored.

I believe that as a Schengen border state Hungary is obligated under EU law to keep their borders controlled and from being overrun by non-EU citizens without proper documents.

In addition, valid travel documents (passports) are required under EU law for traveling between Schengen countries for non-Schengen residents. That means Hungary would be breaking the law by allowing these migrants to board trains and buses headed for other Schengen countries unless they could show a valid passport and had a valid visa.

Far too many people, in top jobs within the EU fail to understand that Schengen does not apply to refugees / migrants . asylum seekers.

Not to worry. These people are the so called leaders.