Hungarian PM pushes for migrant processing centres outside EU

The leaders of Hungary, Serbia, and Slovakia have jointly proposed setting up asylum-seeker "hotspots" outside the European Union as part of a stricter approach to curbing illegal immigration, which they argue threatens the very survival of the bloc.

During a meeting in Komarno, Slovakia, on October 22, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, and Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico presented a more hardline migration policy, advocating for stronger deportation measures and additional financial support for EU member states on the union's external borders, Caliber.Az reports via US media.

Orbán, a vocal critic of EU immigration policies, argued that the EU’s migration pact adopted in May “is not a solution but the problem itself.” He suggested that the EU establish and fund migrant processing centres, or "hotspots," in regions such as North Africa, where asylum-seekers would remain until their applications for international protection are approved.

"Those who want to come to Europe can gather there and submit their applications from there, which we will evaluate. Whoever we allow may come, and those we do not will remain. You have to wait outside. All other solutions are ineffective,” Orbán stated.

The proposal aligns with the longstanding anti-immigration stance of all three leaders. Orbán, in particular, has made opposition to migration a cornerstone of his government since 2015, when Hungary built a border fence to stop an influx of refugees from the Middle East. 

Fico, a close ally of Orbán, echoed his calls for tougher border security and proposed physical barriers along the EU's external borders, a move Hungary had already undertaken in 2015. Fico also criticized the EU’s recent migration reforms, urging the creation of a new migration pact that would permit faster deportations.

The three leaders released a joint statement after the meeting, highlighting illegal migration as a "serious problem" driven by "geopolitical instability, growing conflicts, and social inequalities" in regions near Europe.

Despite the leaders’ concerns, data from Frontex, the EU’s border agency, shows a sharp decline in irregular border crossings into the EU, down by 42% in the first nine months of 2024. The Western Balkan route, which includes Serbia and Hungary, saw an even steeper drop of 79%. However, the leaders maintained that the pressure from illegal migration remains a pressing issue for the bloc’s future stability.

By Tamilla Hasanova