VIENNA — Austria’s Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz has assailed the Hungary’s decision to freeze EU’s article on refugees. Talking to his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto, the Austrian Foreign Minister has deplored decision announced by Budapest to opt out of the DublinLegislations on the status of refugees.
Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz made it clear that it was “unacceptable” that a neighbouring country should suspend the core principle for handling asylum claims in the EU.
Speaking to Szijjarto on Tuesday evening, the Austrian minister also quoted as waring that Hungary’s decision will have “negative consequences”.
Hungary claims that it is overburdened by illegal immigration – more than 60,000 people have entered the country illegally this year.
Media reports suggest that Austria will be most affected by Budapest’s move, with most of the migrants on its territory arriving either from Hungary or Italy.
Hungary has also announced recently that it would erect a border fence against migrants. The EU has also called on the Hungarian government to immediately clarify its position.
“We all wish for a European solution, but we need to protect Hungarian interests and our population,” a spokesman for the Hungarian government was quoted as saying by the Austrian media on June 23, 2015.