BUDAPEST, Hungary — On Tuesday, the leaders from Hungary, Serbia, and Slovakia convened to propose the establishment of facilities outside the European Union to accommodate asylum-seekers. They argue that this approach could help mitigate illegal immigration, which they perceive as a fundamental threat to the stability of the EU.
During their discussions in Komarno, Slovakia, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, and Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico outlined a more stringent immigration policy that they believe should be adopted across the EU. This policy includes enhanced deportation protocols as well as increased financial support for nations on the EU’s external frontiers.
Orbán expressed strong disapproval of the migration pact implemented by the EU in May, stating that it represents “not a solution but the problem itself.” He has been a outspoken critic of immigration policies within the 27-member bloc for many years. Orbán suggested that the EU should create funded and managed “hotspots” in regions like North Africa, where asylum-seekers could be kept until their international protection applications are reviewed.
“Those wishing to enter Europe can assemble in these locations to file their requests, which will then be assessed. Those who are granted entry may come, while those who aren’t will have to remain,” Orbán explained. “The expectation is to wait outside. Any alternative strategies have proven ineffective.”
All three leaders have voiced strong opposition to immigration; however, Orbán has made it a cornerstone of his right-wing populist agenda for nearly ten years. He faced backlash in 2022 when he stated that Hungary preferred not to become “mixed race” and claimed that there is a shortage of Christian, white, traditional Europeans in Europe.
On the same day, Fico, who aligns with Orbán politically, suggested that the EU should consider constructing physical barriers along its outer borders. Hungary had taken similar actions in 2015, creating fences after hundreds of thousands of migrants—primarily from war-torn areas like Syria and Iraq—entered the EU within a few months.
Fico also criticized the recent immigration reforms proposed by the EU, insisting that a new migration pact is necessary to address areas that current laws have yet to cover, such as deportation measures.
In a collective statement issued after their meeting, the three leaders acknowledged that illegal immigration poses a significant challenge, exacerbated by geopolitical instability, increasing conflicts, and social inequalities near Europe’s borders. Despite these concerns, the EU’s border agency, Frontex, reported that irregular crossings into the bloc dropped by 42% in the first nine months of 2024, with an even steeper decline of 79% along the Western Balkan route, which includes both Serbia and Hungary.