We’ve got a beauty of an interview for you today which won’t get much play on this side of the pond but is causing quite a stir in Europe. (Hat tip to The Last Refuge for finding this.) A reporter with the BBC sat down with Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó to discuss the European Union’s migrant crisis and the deep divide between opposing sides in the debate. In typical BBC style, rather than simply asking questions, the reporter, Emily Maitlis, began hurling accusations against the nation of Hungary, accusing them of everything from rampant xenophobia to rigging their recent elections. Unlike politicians in some other nations (*cough*) however, Szijjártó politely but very firmly called her out, defending his nation’s laws and their right to sovereignty.
This interview is seven minutes long and I would encourage you to watch the entire thing because it begins in a rather calm fashion but flares up into fireworks pretty quickly.
The entire thing is pretty brutal, but some of the highlights come when Szijjártó addresses the accusations of an “unfair” election. The reporter raises the claim from the opposition that the ruling party used excessive campaign funds to run advertisements. The Foreign Minister is having none of it, saying, “You echo lies on this television. And I don’t think it’s fair. You are unbalanced, you are one-sided. You look only at the opinion of those who are frustrated because they lost the election.”
It’s worth reminding everyone that Hungary recorded voter turnout in excess of 70% in the last election and Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party won by a lopsided margin which reflected all of the polling leading up to election day. For the BBC to raise such an accusation based on nothing but the grousing of the losing party is a rather sorry display.
Things became even more tense when Maitlis claimed that Hungary was no longer a true democracy, but rather some sort of “creeping authoritarianism.” She attempted to get Szijjártó to admit that he embraced xenophobia and asked if he supported the Prime Minister’s warnings about a “Muslim horde” invading Europe.
Szijjártó responds by saying, “What we don’t want is a massive illegal influx coming from the south to us. We want to keep Hungary a Hungarian country. And we don’t think multiculturalism is by definition good. I understand that the liberal mainstream doesn’t like our laws. But it is the Hungarian voters whose expectations we have to fulfill.”
The Foreign Minister goes on to say that of course, he supports Orban’s concerns over a Muslim invasion or any other sort of flood of migrants crossing their borders in violation of Hungary’s laws. He also points out that Hungary has the right to remain Hungarian. This is a concept which appears to be completely lost on the BBC reporter.
This is one of the more stunning explanations you’re likely to see of why countries are free to oppose globalism or multiculturalism and maintain their own borders and culture. And it’s all taking place just as Angela Merkel is returning to Germany with the mission of trying to convince her own government to accept the latest negotiations with the EU over migrant quotas. Stay tuned, folks. The European Union is looking more and more as if it’s on the verge of a rupture over migrant policy and it’s not going to be pretty.
Poster Comment:
Sovereignty issues are coming to a boil in the eastern EU.
Hungarians are pretty fearless intellectually. They're never afraid to say something for fear that someone will be offended. And they love a hard debate on ideas.
I liked how the Hungarian took on the annoying BBC bitch. He wasn't backing down one iota.
Hungarians are pretty fearless intellectually. They're never afraid to say something for fear that someone will be offended. And they love a hard debate on ideas.
I liked how the Hungarian took on the annoying BBC bitch. He wasn't backing down one iota.
I've found Hungarians to be pretty fearless period.
