Hungary warns coronavirus could trigger more waves of Europe-bound migrants

The Hungarian government is “very concerned” that the coronavirus pandemic will trigger more waves of migrants trying to reach Europe from poorer nations, where the disease will have a greater impact, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Friday.

EU leaders are obligated to help citizens who lost jobs due to the pandemic, by stemming “labor-oriented migration” that is “definitely against the interests” of Europe, Szijjarto said.

According to the minister, the EU’s migration policies must be scrapped because they “can be understood as an invitation for those who consider coming to Europe illegally.”

The EU must wage a strong battle against human traffickers, AP quoted Szijjarto as saying. “We consider migration as a dangerous phenomenon, from a security perspective,” the minister said. “There’s a cultural risk, and now there is a health care risk as well.”