EU slams Hungary’s media campaign as ‘fake news’

BUDAPEST/BRUSSELS: The European Commission on Tuesday rebuked a media campaign by the Hungarian government aimed at European Commission President Jean-claude Juncker and US businessman George Soros, accusing Brussels of pushing migration plans threatening Hungary.

Orban’s latest campaign, announced in a Facebook post on Monday, depicts smiling images of Soros and Juncker with the text “You also have the right to know what Brussels prepares for!” overlaid in red and white block capitals.

A caption says the EU plans to adopt mandatory relocation quotas for immigrants, weaken the border protection rights of member states and make arrivals easier with a “migrant visa”.

The EU Commission, which is locked in a series of running battles with Orban including over reforms criminalising support for migrants, dismissed the latest Hungarian campaign as “fake news”.

“The Hungarian government campaign beggars belief,” Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas told a press briefing. “It is shocking that such a ludicrous conspiracy theory has reached the mainstream to the extent it has.

“It is not true that the EU ... undermines national border protection, quite the contrary. And there are zero plans for the so-called humanitarian visas. Member states decide to what level they want to accept legal migration,” Schinas said.

Hungarian-born billionaire Soros, who promotes liberal causes through his charities, has been the subject of a campaign by the right-wing government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban.