Members of the Hungarian parliament vote on the anti-migration law package in Budapest, Hungary, on June 20, 2018. The Hungarian parliament adopted its anti-migration law package called "Stop Soros" here on Wednesday, targeting "organizers of illegal migration." The motion passed by 160 votes to 18. (Xinhua/Szilard Voros)
BUDAPEST, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The Hungarian parliament adopted its anti-migration law package called "Stop Soros" here on Wednesday, targeting "organizers of illegal migration". The motion passed by 160 votes to 18.
The "Stop Soros" package which includes a modification of the Penal Code, makes it illegal to organize illegal immigration, according to which everybody who would organize illegal migration and encourage the bypassing of Hungarian law will be punished.
Before the adoption of the "Stop Soros" package, the parliament also adopted modification to the Hungarian Constitution. The new constitution states that without the consent of the National Assembly, no immigrant can be deployed to the country and no refugee status can be obtained by those who arrived in Hungary through a secure country and are not exposed to persecution.
"The "Stop Soros" package of laws and the constitutional amendment validate the will of the Hungarian people, and is yet another powerful defense for the country against the illegal migration," the Hungarian government declared in a statement following the adoption.
"Hungary is the first for the government and therefore, the constitutional amendment strengthens the sovereignty of the country and forbids the introduction of a foreign population into Hungary," the statement explained.
The Hungarian government submitted its anti-migration law package called "Stop Soros" to the parliament citing national security concerns. The text of the package has been be debated in the new Hungarian parliament.
Drafts of the "Stop Soros" laws published earlier this year had been criticized by rights groups in both Hungary and abroad, mainly in the European Union.
