Originally published under the title “Hungarian PM Slams Soros-Funded Advocacy Groups: They ‘Are Drawing a Living from the Immigration Crisis.’”
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been denounced by Western media as “xenophobic” for his opposition to taking in Muslim refugees. |
Embattled Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán lashed out at pro-migration non-governmental organisations (NGOs) today, singling out those funded by Hungarian-American George Soros for criticism. He said they “are drawing a living from the immigration crisis,” while Hungary is simply trying to protect its standard of living.
In an interview with the Hungarian-language TV2 television network, Orbán, who has been accused of creating a police state in Hungary since the start of the crisis, said that his actions were simply reflecting the will of the Hungarian people and mocked the Austrians and the Germans for now following his example and securing their countries’ borders. “One could joke that Austrians are now doing something they had previously continually criticised Hungary for, but this is not the time to do so,” he quipped, adding: “Europe is, after all, the land of democracy and it is impossible to go against the will of the people for a long time and without arguments.”
Orbán has come under fire from left-leaning media in the West, who lashed out at him after he stated his concern that most of the migrants entering his country were Muslim. He said last week: “If we lose sight of the European idea, [Christianity] can become, on its own continent, a minority.” When asked about this, he doubled down, stating “the truth is that we are protecting our way of life.”
George Soros has financially backed MoveOn.org, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama.
And according to Orbán, the migrants are no longer “refugees.” They have, since leaving conflict zones, passed through a number of safe countries before reaching Hungary and attempting to go further into Europe, to places like Sweden and Germany.
They aren’t running for their lives, he said, adding that they simply wanted a German standard of living. “Nobody can ask us to share what we have worked for with people who are no longer in trouble or running for their lives.”
But he saved his fiercest attack for the charities and non-governmental organisations that have become the talking heads on television sets across Europe since the start of the crisis. He named the Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros and insisted that his groups “are drawing a living from the immigration crisis,” according to Hungary Today.
Soros – who has backed left-wing causes like the Center for American Progress, MoveOn.org, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama – also gives billions of dollars to advocacy groups across Europe and Africa. He is a firm backer of the European Union and the euro as a currency, and of the left-leaning London School of Economics. His Open Society Foundation has also given money to pro-EU, pro-migrant groups like British Future, which has campaigned against UKIP and Eurosceptic groups.
Raheem Kassam is a fellow at the Middle East Forum and editor-in-chief of Breitbart London.