Orbán: Schengen ‘a dying institution’; migration is top security issue

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, left, and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov during Fridayʼs press conference. (Photo: MTI/Szilárd Koszticsák)

Following talks with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov in Sofia, Orbán said in a press conference that the “migration crisis” has so far been addressed as an economic and cultural issue, but that it must now be addressed as a security issue, according to the governmentʼs web site, kormany.hu. Orbán was quoted as saying that the threat of terrorism is increasing while public security is deteriorating. Orbán singled out women and “the more vulnerable” as those most at risk and said that it is the duty of elected politicians to protect the citizen’s of their respective countries, kormany.hu reported.

Orbán also highlighted what he perceives as a double standard in the treatment of Bulgaria, which is being excluded from the Schengen zone despite its exemplary performance throughout the “migrant crisis” in protecting its borders, kormany.hu reported. The question, Orbán added, is whether Bulgaria would even accept such an offer from “a dying institution”.

At the same press conference, the Bulgarian prime minister said that real progress is only possible if the borders are closed until the current migrant crisis is resolved and that Europe must work together to establish rules and procedures, kormany.hu added.