“We have a duty to defend Italian entrepreneurs and farmers whose work is endangered by eco-terrorists in Brussels,” Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, head of the Anti-Migrant League, told audiences on Sunday. thousands of supporters of his party gathered in Pontida, in the north of the country, for the annual League party. Notoriously opposed to the green policies of the European Commission, Mr. Salvini accused Brussels of “wanting to close farms and factories to perhaps provide a service to the Turks, the Chinese and the multinationals”. “We are here to defend the work and efforts of Europeans and Italians,” he said.
The Hungarian nationalist Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, also at odds with the Commission and the European Parliament, attacked Brussels and reiterated his refusal to welcome migrants. He once again threatened to put them on buses and take them to Belgium. “We will never give up our freedom and we will never cede our countries to foreigners. We are not ceding our countries neither to the bureaucrats in Brussels, nor to the financial powers, nor to migrants,” said the guest of honor at this meeting in Hungarian, while an interpreter read his speech in Italian.
The head of the Hungarian government also criticized the recent decision of the European Commission to reduce future EU payments to Hungary. This aims to recover 200 million euros (more than 188 million francs) in fines for non-compliance with asylum treaties, which Budapest refuses to pay.
“Together, the European left and the bureaucrats in Brussels are punishing Hungary (…) because we do not bring in illegal migrants, because we are defending Europe, it is a shame,” said Mr. Orban. “But I will tell you one thing, if they continue to punish us, we will transport the migrants from Budapest to Brussels, we will leave them in front of the offices of the people of Brussels, if they want the migrants, let them keep them for themselves,” said the nationalist leader.
The League and Mr Orban’s Fidesz party, as well as France’s National Rally (RN), are part of the same far-right group in the European Parliament, Patriots for Europe.
