Opposition Demands Govt Ease Migrant Crisis In Budapest
- 3 Sep 2015 9:50 AM
Opposition parties of Budapest’s City Council called for central and municipal government action to ease the migrant situation in the capital, at a session dedicated to the problem. Socialist councillor Csaba Horváth demanded that the government should take over management of the refugee problem from civil organisations, and transit zones should be transferred to Hungary’s southern borders.
Marcell Tokody of radical nationalist Jobbik said a local referendum should be held asking Budapest residents if they wanted refugee transit areas in the city.
LMP’s Antal Csárdi said the government and the city should at least provide food and sanitation to the refugees. Erzsébet Gy Németh of the Democratic Coalition also said that providing “decent conditions” for refugees was partly a municipal responsibility.
Mayor István Tarlós said that though municipal measures were “motivated by humanitarian considerations”, the primary goal was to protect the city from an “uncontrolled influx” of migrants.
The council adopted a report, according to which temporary refugee shelters to be set up in the city would cost a monthly 77 million forints (EUR 244,000). Máté Kocsis, a representative of ruling Fidesz told reporters that a new facility near Keleti station would be completed in 10-12 days.
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MTI photo: Kovács Tamás
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