Hungary Begins Croatia Border Fence as Orban Pledges to ‘Curb Migrant Tide’

(….) “A suicidal liberalism” is present in the media and in the heads of some politicians who would favor a more permissive policy regarding migrants.

Such policies “would narrow our life possibilities, the quality of our life, risk our values, and our way of life. That would be suicide,” Mr. Orban said.

Still, Hungary will never pursue policies against Islam and regards the Muslims already living in Hungary as “useful members of society,” Mr. Orban said.”

–---------------------------------------------------------------------

Hungary Begins Croatia Border Fence as Orban Pledges to ‘Curb Migrant Tide’

Hungary Premier rails against ‘suicidal liberalism’ but pledges not to introduce pernicious measures against Islam

By MARGIT FEHER

Sept. 18, 2015 3:45 a.m. ET / http://www.wsj.com/articles/hungary-begins-croatia-border-fence-as-orban-pledges-to-curb-migrant-tide-1442562345?mod=e2fb

BUDAPEST—Hungary began the construction of a fence along its border with Croatia Friday to keep out migrants from the Balkan country, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said.

Hungary has already erected a similar partition along its border with Croatia’s neighbor, Serbia. Earlier this week Hungarian troops protected the fence by using tear gas and water cannon when migrants, mostly from the Middle East and Afghanistan, tried to break through there.

“We cannot count on anyone else [but ourselves], not on Serbia, nor on Croatia when it comes to the need to act,” Mr. Orban said in a regular, bi-weekly interview on state radio.

By Friday evening, Hungary will complete installation of a first-line razor-wire fence along the Croatian border, and will start the building of an 11.5-foot fence as the second-line barrier to protect the border.

Budapest will deploy several hundred police and soldiers to the border with Croatia to construct the fence along a 25-mile stretch not protected by various rivers, Mr. Orban said.

The fence on the border with Serbia, together with Hungary’s recently introduced tough legal measures on immigration, have succeeded in protecting Hungary from the migrants, he added.

“We want to prove to the people, ourselves and the whole world that even as a flood [of migrants] is heading toward Europe, this tide can be curbed, channeled in an organized way, and checked for [security] risks if everyone did their job,” he said.

Hungary must protect its borders to comply with European Union law and to protect its way of life, the premier said.

“A suicidal liberalism” is present in the media and in the heads of some politicians who would favor a more permissive policy regarding migrants.

Such policies “would narrow our life possibilities, the quality of our life, risk our values, and our way of life. That would be suicide,” Mr. Orban said.

Still, Hungary will never pursue policies against Islam and regards the Muslims already living in Hungary as “useful members of society,” Mr. Orban said.

Write to Margit Feher at margit.feher@wsj.com