Együtt (Together) chairman Viktor Szigetvári published the following open letter to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Saturday, December 5th:

Dear Prime Minister:

In the name of Együtt I call on you not to turn to the international court against the obligatory quota system and to withdraw the complaint! The politics you are currently conducting are causing Hungary to slide to the east and go against western, historical allies, even though this is not in Hungary’s interest.

Our mutual homeland can only advance its national interests if it sees the current economic crisis, the refugees crisis, and the collapse of the Schengen zone in historical perspective: Europe must find solutions that are humane and lawful. Hungary rejecting obligatory quotas and turning to the European Courts is not such a policy. It neither creates security, nor alleviates the crisis.

Prime Minister!

We ask you to behave like a responsible leader of Hungary. Do not speak of conspiracies and secret pacts! It was you who withdrew our country unilaterally from the main current of EU problem solving with an erroneous decision, and you stood up and left a meeting table at which you should have sat as a representative of our country. Because the Hungarians entrusted this task to you.

But out of your domestic political selfishness and geopolitical mistakes you turned your back on our partners, and looked for allies in the east. With this you harmed our country, and only succeeded in ensuring that the Hungarian point of view is not taken into consideration in numerous important matters.

Furthermore, by mentioning various secret conspiracies you only further reinforced the fears and prejudices of Hungarian citizens, even though in such a situation it is precise the allaying of fears, restrained talk, and the creation of calm that would have been your duty. With such politics you are creating a divided Hungary that is sliding towards the east. While it might be in Fidesz’s momentary interest to fight this domestic political battle with Jobbik, it is contrary to the national interests of the Hungarians.

It is the conviction of the common sense, middle-of-the-road party, Együtt, that Hungary is part of the western world We need to belong to the west. That is where we need to seek our allies. We must not sing from the sheet music of Putin’s illiberal Russia, because with this we isolate our country from Europe.

We equally reject right and left wing demagoguery, the unprofessional and simplistic false solutions. Együtt believes that the strong border defense along with lawful deportation policies that are stricter than the current ones, together with the quota system are such solutions that are consistent with Hungarian national interests, because it creates security and a strong Hungary. An isolated Hungary that is pointlessly at odds with Germany can only be weak and left behind.

Dear Prime Minister:

Return to a better way of seeing things. Return to the negotiating table regarding the use of quotas! Accept part of that as our country’s voluntary share, and create capacity for our country to receive 15,000 refugees, and to provide for them in a human manner, as well as for the long term integration of those who want to remain here.

Mend the errors of your ways. Join the full circle of communal European efforts in order to find solutions together with our allies presently posed by the refugee crisis. In this way, may Hungary, our homeland, once again become a prosperous and secure country.

Sincerely yours,

Viktor Szigetvári

Chairman, Együtt

Source: Budapest Beacon

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