A leaked confidential note from the French ambassador to Hungary has revealed praise for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s migrant policy, and has drawn ire from French president Emmanuel Macron.
In the confidential note, which was addressed to the Élysée Palace and top European Union officials, Ambassador Eric Fournier defends the Hungarian leader, saying that the migrant policy of Prime Minister Orbán is a “model” for Europe and that many politicians in the west suffer from “Hungaryophobia”, French broadcaster BFMTV reports.
Fournier described Hungary’s migration policy as “having anticipated the problems posed by illegal migratory movements,” and slammed “Anglo-Saxon and French media”, saying: “Any democratically elected regime that does not correspond to their worldview [is called] ‘populist’.”
The ambassador also defended the Hungarian government against allegations of anti-Semitism, saying that the “true modern anti-Semitism” belongs to “Muslims of France and Germany.”
(Despite allegations from leftist politicians and others in the media of anti-Semitism for his campaign against left-liberal billionaire financier George Soros, Orbán has been praised by Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu.)
Orban: ‘We Will Build a 21st Century Christian Democracy, Not Rebuild a Shipwrecked Liberal Democracy’ https://t.co/IeB5iAfd5g
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) May 12, 2018
When approached for comment on the leaked note, French president Emmanuel Macron slammed Fournier, saying: “In no way do I share the words that you just mentioned and that you have revealed.”
Macron added that if Fournier has said such comments in public the situation would be very different, saying: “If the proof is given to me that these words were spoken publicly, a decision would be clear and would be taken. This ambassador would be dismissed.”
The comments come as European Union leaders are attempting to address migration issues following the election of the populist Italian coalition and the move by new interior minister Matteo Salvini to close all Italian ports to NGOs ferrying migrants to Europe.
Pressure has also started to mount in both Spain in Greece, which have both also seen dramatic rises in the number of migrants crossing into their countries from the Middle East and North Africa.
Follow Chris Tomlinson on Twitter at @TomlinsonCJ or email at ctomlinson(at)breitbart.com
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