Photo: Gabriella Csoszó

At this event we cannot dodge the problem: what should we do on October 2nd?

How does the question go again?

“Do you want the European Union to be able to mandate, without the consent of parliament, the compulsory settlement of non-Hungarian citizens in Hungary?

Although the state’s advertisements and posters blare that we have the opportunity to reject some kind of forced quota with our votes, there’s no question of that. In September 2015 the European Council – consisting of ministers from EU member states, among them a representative of the Hungarian government – came to a binding resolution on the transfer of asylum seekers from Greece and Italy, the countries most affected by the migration crisis, into other EU member states. This requires that Hungary assess 1,294 asylum seekers’ claims – one asylum seeker to every 7,500th Hungarian. A negligibly small number.

After Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission; Donald Tusk, president of the European Council; German Chancellor Angela Merkel; Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico; and also Czech head of government Bohuslav Sobotka declared that there will be no compulsory quota, this question, in the absence of political will, was removed from the agenda. The compulsory quota was an experiment testing the solidarity between nations; it failed. There’s nothing to vote about, people!

Those of us who organised and supported this event believe that the question put to referendum has become redundant – unless this legally incomprehensible question is asking about something quite different. Perhaps about the fact that Hungary doesn’t wish to work with the EU towards a common solution to the refugee question – not now nor ever? That Hungary wants authorisation from voters to abrogate the responsibilities which accompany EU membership? That Hungary announces once and for all its unwillingness to take part in helping those people – often entire families – who, debilitated, ask for admittance at our door? That we say together, this is the kind of country in which the weak should not be helped but punished? With whom and against whom should we take a stance in answering the question? Since this isn’t clear, and we suspect it is intentionally unclear, we consider the question a false one, and the referendum a mockery of democracy.

We think Hungary should voluntarily show solidarity with other EU states and the asylum seekers. First of all the Hungarian state should ensure refugees waiting outside and within the country’s borders are subject to appropriate conditions. Who among us wants to sleep on the ground, or defecate in bushes, only because he has lost half his family, and his home, and he doesn’t want to vegetate amidst disease in a 2-million strong refugee camp? Let’s eradicate the unacceptable conditions, then begin on the assessment of the claims in a legally orderly and fair fashion. When according to international norms asylum is granted to someone, let’s provide conditions that make it possible for them to take their fate in their hands again. Without respect for human dignity no integration, no adjustment to a society, can succeed. This referendum campaign cost 10 billion forints. Even with much less than this sum, enormous improvements might be made in the living conditions of those seeking asylum in our homeland, as well as in the efficiency of the assessments.

We are going to boycott or invalidate (two circles, two Xes) the referendum because we want Hungarian society to come to its senses, and realise that we do not necessarily need to resign our principles, our beliefs, our inner convictions. We need a referendum with real stakes, and one which doesn’t arouse hatred in people.

Because we think that people of Arab origins or Muslim religion would not represent a danger to us simply because of their origins or religion. We agree that those requesting admittance here must be screened, and that criminals and terrorists must be sifted out. Safety requires order and orderliness. The situation which has developed at the border and the absurdly accelerated administration however lead not to order but to chaos. This chaos favours precisely criminals and terrorists. This chaos, whether artificial or resultant from neglect, harms asylum seekers and Hungarians equally. 

We don’t think we would get along easily with each other from the off. But the thought and feeling that Hungary says NO to real assistance would be unbearable for us. We agree much more with Pope Francis, even though we are conscious of the magnitude of the task, and the historical, cultural difficulties.

We stand on the side of solidarity: that’s why we exhort everyone not to take chances, but rather steer clear of shame. On the 60th anniversary of 1956 let’s remember the 200,000 Hungarian refugees who found admittance several thousand kilometres from their homeland, and not deportation. Let’s inform ourselves, and see how many wars rage around us, how groundless our prejudices about those arriving from the Middle East or Africa are. Let’s see the person! And let’s not forget how many people need help and attention in our homeland too. Let’s turn to each other; let’s ensure the surge of volunteerism we lived through last summer is our everyday experience.

Árpád Schilling

Full length video about the demonstration (my speech starts at 1:08:10):