Hungary’s higher education act is overall in line with existing European norms, but its amended version tightening rules on foreign universities already present in the country contain some “highly problematic” requirements, the Venice Commission said in a preliminary opinion on the law published on Friday.

These people do what Soros says and must search for legal explanations, Lajos Kósa said on Kossuth Radio.

He said it was “absurd” that the European Commission believes the Central European University does not have to comply with Hungary’s law on higher education. “Laws apply to everybody, even to George Soros,” he added.

Regulating higher education falls within the scope of power of the state in Hungary, he said, adding that everybody had taken the amended law on higher education seriously, and that agreements had already been reached with other American institutions of higher education operating in Hungary.

Kósa said Fidesz would not participate in an extraordinary session of parliament initiated by the opposition to amend the law on higher education.

This shows how things would work in Hungary if the Socialists were governing: George Soros could call a session of parliament and organise votes with his people on anything he wants, he added.

On the issue of migration, Kósa said it was clear that the pressure would increase in the summer. Now NGOs are partnering with smugglers to help the migrants under the guise of humanitarianism, he added.

He noted that public opinion on the matter had shifted in Europe, and that the Italians had laid down stricter rules for NGOs than those in Hungary’s civil code.

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