Kovács told an international press roundtable at the Hungarian embassy in Vienna that it is enough to observe the numbers before and after Germany’s announcement to see who was responsible. Hungary is focusing on protecting its borders and will allow entry only to those who are eligible, Kovács said.

Many thousands of refugees have ended up staying in Europe because it was not possible to send them back, he added. In response to a question about Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern’s criticism of Hungary’s refugee policy, he said it was “regrettable” that Kern’s approach seemed little different from his predecessor’s.

“There is no need to speak to one another without respect”, he added.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.

MTI photo: Koszticsák Szilárd