BUDAPEST, Hungary — On Saturday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán made a connection between immigration and a tragic incident in Germany where a driver plowed into a Christmas market crowded with shoppers, resulting in at least five fatalities and 200 injuries.
During an unusual meeting with independent media in Budapest, Orbán expressed condolences to the families affected by what he termed a “terrorist act” that occurred on Friday night in Magdeburg. However, the long-serving leader, known for his critical stance on the European Union, suggested that the EU’s migration policies were partly responsible for such incidents.
The suspect in the attack, identified as a 50-year-old Saudi doctor, has been living in Germany since 2006, where he works in the medical field. He has publicly identified as a former Muslim and has been active on social media, frequently posting tweets that express anti-Islam sentiments and encouraging those who have left the religion.
Orbán asserted, without presenting any proof, that such violent attacks in Europe began to increase after 2015, a period during which a significant number of migrants and refugees entered the EU, largely escaping conflict and turmoil in regions like the Middle East and Africa.
It is worth noting that Europe has experienced various militant assaults over the years dating back several decades, including the train bombings in Madrid in 2004 and attacks in central London in 2005.
Nonetheless, Orbán maintained that there is a clear connection between immigration and terrorism, alleging that EU officials “want Magdeburg to happen to Hungary too.”
The anti-immigrant stance of Orbán’s government has been evident since 2015, marked by stringent measures against migration and the construction of barriers fortified with razor wire along Hungary’s southern borders with Serbia and Croatia.
In June, the European Court of Justice slapped Hungary with a fine of 200 million euros ($216 million) for repeatedly violating the EU’s asylum regulations, along with an ongoing penalty of 1 million euros daily until compliance with EU law is achieved.
As a right-wing populist who often clashes with EU policies, Orbán has previously declared that Hungary will not alter its immigration and asylum procedures, regardless of any decisions from the European Court of Justice.
On Saturday, he reiterated his commitment to resisting what he described as EU attempts to “impose” immigration policies on Hungary.