The delegation of Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party to the European Parliament has written to Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson, requesting the politician to reveal her position on the activities of migrant vessels operated by NGOs that intentionally break the law. The request was made after a Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) meeting on 15 March, which addressed rescue operations in the Mediterranean. During the meeting, Dunja Mijatovic, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, “made shocking statements about NGO ships,” the Hungarian government’s European delegation wrote in a statement.
“During the meeting, the commissioner clearly stated that the captains of ships may refuse to follow the member states’ instructions and put the immigrants ashore in those countries,” Fidesz MEP Balazs Hidveghi said. According to the commissioner, NGO ships can transfer the illegal migrants picked up in the Mediterranean ashore citing human rights considerations, even regardless of the fact that this is in clear violation of the law and against the will of the member states.
“The fact that some people want to flood Europe with immigrants is nothing new, but the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights openly encouraging people to violate the law goes beyond common sense. We call on the European Commission to clarify its position on the scandalous statements and illegal migration,” the Hungarian MEP added.