Hungarian Minister Chides ‘Unbalanced, One-Sided’ BBC Anchor for Pro-EU, Pro-Migration Rant (Video)

Speaking to Szijjártó on the publicly-funded broadcaster’s flagship BBC Newsnight programme, Maitlis took umbrage with the Hungarian statesman’s claim that “the current migration policy of the European Union can be very easily translated as an invitation” to illegal migrants.

“On World Refugee Day this week, you passed a new law which makes it illegal to help migrants. It criminalises helping undocumented immigrants, and that includes asylum seekers. Why would you do that?” she asked.

Szijjártó attempted to correct the presenter, saying that the anti-illegal immigration package — dubbed ‘Stop Soros’ — was aimed only at those organisations which “help people to ask for asylum even if they have no legal basis for that… and promoting [immigration] opportunities with no legal basis”.

Maitlis appeared not to take heed of Szijjártó’s explanation, however, jabbing her finger at the foreign minister and doubling down on her previous claims.

“You will be making it illegal to help refugees fill in form,” she alleged, leaning forward aggressively.

“You will make it punishable by jail to organise or distribute information that could help migrants.

“Now, you accept that this legislation flouts not only human rights, but it also breaks an international treaty you have signed,” she asserted, laughing incredulously.

“The content of the law is not what you have listed,” replied the Hungarian, perplexed.

“The content of the law is that if you promote illegal possibilities to come to Hungary–” he began to explain, before Maitlis interrupted him.

“No, I want to talk about this question of ‘illegal’, right, because anyone who lands in your country who calls themself an asylum seeker has the right to have their papers and their situation examined,” she insisted.

Szijjártó attempted to explain that Hungary, which lies in Central Europe, is surrounded by peaceful countries, and that there is “no point of reference in any piece of international regulations why you should be allowed or helped or assisted to violate the border between two peaceful countries”.

Maitlis did not address this point, but turned openly scornful, sneering: “You do know you don’t have an immigrant problem in Hungary? You do know that your own official data says you have 3,600 asylum seekers in a country of ten million? You do know that there were 300 asylum claims only this year? You don’t have an immigrant problem in your country!”

Szijjártó explained that illegal migration into Hungary — which was running at 3,000 a day at the height of the migrant crisis, as Maitlis herself reported at the time — has only been brought under control because of the tough stance adopted by the Hungarian government, and that the country remains on the frontline as the situation in the Balkans looks set to boil over again….