The Hungarian parliament has recently passed a number of proposed bills aimed at impeding both individuals and groups from assisting illegal immigrants seeking asylum in the country. Under this legislation, helping illegal migrants to gain asylum status in Hungary will amount to a criminal offence, resulting in a prison sentence of up to one year.
These laws are known collectively as the ‘Stop Soros’ package, in reference to the Hungarian-American billionaire and philanthropist George Soros. Through his civil rights group Open Society Foundations, Soros has funded various democratic and human rights causes throughout Eastern Europe. The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has accused Soros of trying to push mass immigration in Europe and has expressed his opposition to the migration policies of the EU.
Following a parliamentary vote of 160 in favour to just 18 against, the Stop Soros Bill successfully passed into law. The Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister released a statement in the aftermath of the vote, claiming; “strengthened protection is needed because the mass immigration afflicting Europe is continuous, while the Soros network and the pro-immigration policy of Brussels are creating the threat of attempts to also swamp our country with migrants.” In addition to the passing of this legislation, parliament also amended the Hungarian Constitution to state that an ‘alien population’ cannot settle in the country.
The proposal, and subsequent passing, of the Stop Soros laws has been strongly criticised as detrimental to fundamental human rights in Europe by the European Union, the United Nations and various human rights bodies. The Venice Commission, the Council of Europe’s constitutional advisory body, had previously called on the Hungarian government not to adopt these laws until it can publish its official opinion. The Commission has since gone on to claim that Stop Soros is a violation of the European Convention on Human Rights.
The Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have expressed their opposition to the legislation on the grounds that it is arbitrary, vague and a breach of EU law.
The UN Refugee agency (UNHCR) has stated that the passing of the Stop Soros legislation would adversely affect and deprive refugees and immigrants of vital services while also contributing to rising xenophobic attitudes, while the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights added that it was ‘‘shameful and xenophobic.’’
The Hungarian Government has stated that it is anticipating potential legal action from the European Commission.