Before the summit in Granada – Orban on the reform of the asylum system in the EU: “We were raped!”

Hungary and Poland were not satisfied with the migration proposals, Orbán said. But the EU overcame them with the agreement on the asylum and migration pact.

The EU’s asylum reform was adopted in June
In June, EU home affairs ministers decided on plans for a far-reaching reform of the EU asylum system. Numerous enhanced measures are planned to limit illegal migration.

The issue is also high on the agenda of the European Council in Granada.

“We were outside”
In the past, migration was regulated unilaterally by states, Orbán says. Hungary and Poland were not satisfied with the agreement in June: “We were outside. We were legally raped. If you are raped and forced to accept something you don’t like, how are you supposed to come to an agreement? That is impossible,” the Hungarian Prime Minister said.

Hungary and Poland insist on unanimity
Orbán alludes to the fact that the decision for the planned asylum reform was taken by majority vote, against the wishes of Budapest and Warsaw. The two countries insisted on unanimity, but this is not necessary according to the EU treaties.

Orbán: “Things are happening in Brussels”
Orbán also criticized recent EU developments on social media. “Things are going on in Brussels,” he wrote on Facebook on Friday, accusing “Brussels bureaucrats” of piling mistakes on top of mistakes. Although only three years of the seven-year EU budget have passed, Brussels wants to oblige member states to pay new money in order to make more money available for Ukraine.

“Migration panacea” failed
The “migration miracle weapon”, the EU’s asylum reform, has failed. At the same time, the migration crisis at Hungary’s southern border is dramatic. “Our border guards are already being shot at there.” According to Orbán, Brussels has lost control. With the European Parliament elections approaching, ‘Brussels bureaucrats’ are worrying about their positions instead of doing their jobs, the prime minister said.

Orbán also criticizes EU regulations on media freedom
On the short message service X (Twitter), Orban criticized EU regulations on media freedom. It’s about “creating total control over the media,” Orbán said. “We Central Europeans have seen something like this in the past. This was called Cominform (Information Office of the Communist and Workers’ Parties, note) and Reich Press Chamber (controlled the press during the Nazi era, note).”

Orbán demanded “Never again,” to which Twitter owner Elon Musk responded “absolutely.” The planned media freedom law is intended to better protect the media and their sources.