”Don't Make Hungary a Scapegoat!” Both the Hungarian MFA and the Austrian Freedom Party rejects the criticism coming from Vienna After the critical remarks of chancellor Werner Faymann regarding Hungary, the Austrian ambassador in Budapest was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Both the Hungarian government and the main forces of the Austrian opposition rejects Faymann's words.

Hungary firmly rejects any accusation that suggests that its actions concerning the issue of migrants are wanting, Levente Magyar, foreign ministry state secretary for economic diplomacy, said.

Magyar insisted that Austrian criticism of Hungary first for being too strict by building a fence along the Hungary-Serbia border and then for being too lenient for allowing migrants to travel on without valid documents was paradoxical. Rather than criticising Hungary, the “superhuman” efforts by its authorities to tackle the influx of illegal migrants should be appreciated, Magyar said. Concerning the EU’s refugee quotas the state secretary said that if Hungary is impacted by the largest number of illegal immigrants “by what logic should it be expected to receive even more?” “We do not want any more migrants because we can hardly manage the current situation,” he said, adding, however, that Hungary will do its best to contribute to a European solution to tackle the problem.

In response to the words of Austrian chancellor Werner Faymann, minister of foreign affairs and trade Péter Szijjártó told MTI that it is disappointing and incomprehensible that the leader of a neighbouring country should talk in this vein about an issue which is causing Hungary as well as Europe immense difficulties amounting to an historic challenge. The Hungarian minister pointed out in this context: ”one would expect the leader of a neighbouring country to make statements in the light of facts pertaining to the issue”, rather than make false accusations.

”It's shabby to make Hungary a scapegoat for the failure of the European Union's naive approach to issues of poverty Migration”, president of the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) told Magyar Hírlap. Secretary general of FPÖ, Harald Vilimky also rejected Faymann's remarks, telling us that ”the chancellor has caused many problems in his own country and should focus on solving these, before criticising a friendly country”. ”Hungary is certainly right when it tries to protect its territory from the flood of illegal migrants. The EU migrant and refugee policy has failed on all levels, Hungary is the only country that reacted correctly”, he added.