Trócsányi noted that on Monday he had taken part in a hearing by the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) in Brussels.

He said most of the rights groups and representatives who had addressed the hearing had expressed serious criticism over Hungary’s policies saying that the country did not fulfill its international obligations.

He said they had also criticized Hungary’s handling of migrants, asylum procedures and methods of providing migrants with legal assistance.

Trócsányi insisted that Hungary provides migrants with proper legal aid, adding that information on how to request it is also available to them in Arabic.

The minister said a distinction needed to be made between migrants and refugees, adding that many of those seeking entry into Hungary on the southern border could not be considered refugees.

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

MTI photo: Kelemen Zoltán Gergely