He accused Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of telling lies when he recently said that no more immigrant centres would be opened. The text of the budget bill shows the opposite, he said.

If immigration is indeed the greatest problem for Hungary, as suggested by the government, then Hungary is very lucky that this much money would be sufficient to resolve it, Harangozó said.

Socialist board member Balázs Bárány said the government is trying to divert attention from Hungarians leaving the country to work abroad, which is Hungary’s greatest real problem.

The opposition Dialogue for Hungary (PM) party said the minister’s hearing has revealed that the authorities can handle the wave of immigrants, it is only the government that is provoking hysteria by stirring up antiimmigration sentiments.

PM lawmaker Timea Szabó, who sits in parliament as an independent, said that the ruling Fidesz politician’s s claim of a forty-fold increase in the number of immigrants was miscalculation. She said Pintér was not telling the truth, either, when he said immigrants cost more money to taxpayers.

The European Union has provided funding for the police and the immigration office to fulfil extra tasks related to immigrants, she added.

Contrary to the government’s claims Hungarians are not interested in this subject, as reflected by the national consultation forms of which 8 million had been sent out and only 200,000 returned, Szabó said.

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