Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban pledged to block the next EU budget if Budapest is unhappy about the planned spending, the country's head said Friday.
"We don't think that even a single cent should be given to migrants," he stated in a radio interview, adding that other EU states could spend money for migration-related issues out of their national budgets.
"This will be a long debate and negotiating process," he added.
Social media users' opinions on the issue are divided.
Some have supported the move.
You are absolutely right! 👍
— Verum (@Verum77) 4 мая 2018 г.
Why can’t Europeans see that Orban is protecting his country, while almost everyone else is decimating theirs.
— silence_above3 (@SAbove3) 4 мая 2018 г.
100% support!
— Niklas (@VitusX1) 4 мая 2018 г.
Others expressed criticism of Orban's policy.
This is just funny,hungary making demands funny,I really what the @EUCouncil or @EU_Commission @EUKosovo to really suspend hungary.
— #TALKLESS (@Flow2G) 4 мая 2018 г.
My message to Orbán: If you don't want to respect European values, you should not expect our money either. European money can no longer be misused to enrich your family or finance a football stadium in your constituency! #EUBudget #FutureofEurope 🇪🇺 pic.twitter.com/nV21wRD12f
— Guy Verhofstadt (@guyverhofstadt) 2 мая 2018 г.
“EU money should be used to lift up national economies & citizens. Not granted to the family of Mr Orban or to finance a new football stadium in his constituency.” — @guyverhofstadt on #EUBudget pic.twitter.com/FFOp4Fv1pT
— Andrew Byrne (@aqbyrne) 2 мая 2018 г.
Viktor Orban has been pursuing a tough line toward migrants since the refugee crisis broke out in Europe in 2015. After hundreds of thousands of migrants entered Hungary, Budapest built a border fence along its southern frontier to stop the inflow.
READ MORE: Migrants Go Home & EU Rebel: Top 5 Points of Viktor Orban's Political Agenda
Harsh anti-immigration measures were a major part of his election campaign and remain one of the main topics in his current political agenda.
In early April, he won a third term as Hungarian PM and secured his Fidesz party a strong majority in the country's parliament.
