Hungarian PM Orban vows to resist EU's 'misguided' refugee policy

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban condemned on Sunday the European Union's failure to get to grips with its refugee crisis and vowed to resist pressure to take in more refugees, saying they would bring crime, terrorism and other problems.

Orban has long been known for his fiery right-wing rhetoric, but in his annual state of the nation address he struck a particularly harsh tone towards the refugees and Brussels over its attempts to impose refugee quotas on member states.

"We cannot let it force upon us the sour fruits of their misguided immigration policy. We want to import no crime, terrorism, homophobia or anti-Semitism to Hungary," he said, adding the quota system could cause the EU's disintegration.

Orban, who has been widely criticised for building a razor-wire fence along Hungary's southern border to keep refugees out, referred to growing social tensions in Europe, including attacks on refugee centres and alleged mass sexual harassment by refugees in Cologne and other German cities at New Year.

"There will be no lawless districts in Hungarian cities. There will be no riots, no refugee camps set on fire and no gangs will hunt for our wives and daughters," he said, using characteristically blunt language.
"In Hungary, we will nip in the bud and punish even the slightest attempts at such things," Orban said, adding that he wanted to fortify and possibly extend the border fence.

More than a million refugees, many escaping war and poverty in Syria and elsewhere, have fled to Europe over the last year, many passing through Hungary en route for wealthier western European nations, especially Germany.

Orban, 52, has often framed his approach to the refugee crisis as a defence of Europe's Christian culture and heritage against the tide of mostly Muslim refugees. "The migration wave can be stopped," he said. "Europe is a community of half a billion people, more than Russia and the United States combined. Europe has the technology, the strategic and economic might to defend itself," he said.

Orban said he did not blame the refugees for only doing "what they think is best for them" by coming to Europe but European leaders for failing to devise coherent policies to stem and reverse the tide.