Migration expert says border control is illegal under EU laws
Viktor Marsai says the term “pushback” is being weaponised by non-profit organisations, but abolishing border controls would leave countries defenceless to criminal gangs.
The Migration Research Institute Director told GB News: “The ongoing debate over border protections is an ideological debate. But don’t forget that borders are not just there for illegal immigrants, but also criminal networks.”
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“NGOs like Abolish Frontex argue they are fighting against the discrimination of migrants and the violation of their rights. Actually, it means that they want to abolish the system which protects against drugs and weapons.”
Mr Marsai’s recent study found that only around 25 per cent of migrants are returned to their home country, even if their asylum claim fails. He said: “In the last ten years, the European Union has failed to address the challenges. Even if the European Union is considering a common asylum policy, it seems to lead nowhere. The only solution is member states getting back more responsibility over migration.”
“The legal framework of the current asylum system in the European Union and all of the Western world will not change with the introduction of new migration pact. This very nice term ‘pushback’ is not a legal term. It was introduced by NGOs and is used against governments to press them to let people in.”
“Stopping somebody from illegally crossing the border and preventing her or him from being sent back. That’s what NGO’s deem to be a pushback. Take the Hungarian example. They have to pay a €1 million daily fine. They European Court of Justice’s decided that, because they are protecting our border and the border of European Union, we have to pay this fine.”
On practical solutions to migration issues, Mr Marsai said: “We should protect our borders to reduce the numbers. Managing millions of people all around of Europe and hundreds of thousands in the UK, just to send them back, is not easy.”
“But the message is very important as well. Look at what’s happening in the United States with the ICE operation in Minnesota. There is a saying that ‘ICE is not nice’ in the United States. Deportation is always a tough thing, but we want to protect our nations and our sovereignty.”
“For decades, both the EU and the UK were reluctant to put pressure on the countries of origin, while they’re among the biggest donors in the world. For years, the argument was that we shouldn’t mix humanitarian and development policies and migration policy. Why not? It’s the next step forward.”
