[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 182 (Tuesday, December 15, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1798-E1799]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HUNGARY AND THE REFUGEE CRISIS

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 15, 2015

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, before the Paris attacks, pundits 
sitting in far-flung capitals of the world were throwing lobs at 
Hungary for turning a blind eye to the plight of Syrian refugees. Now 
that we know that one of the attackers posed as a refugee to get into 
Europe and then stayed in a refugee camp as he made his way from Greece 
to Paris, I'd like to do something I know the pundits won't do: go back 
to an old story to make sure they got it right.
  First, the outside world's opinions of what Hungary should or should 
not do are wholly irrelevant. Hungary is a sovereign country that 
ultimately will make its own political decisions based on its interests 
and concerns on a case-by-case basis. Whether Hungary lets in refugees 
from a conflict that it had absolutely nothing to do with is a purely 
Hungarian question. Just like we wouldn't want Canada telling us what 
to do, nor does Hungary want countries like Germany telling it what to 
do.
  The fact of the matter is that the refugee issue is complex. There 
are two sides to the morality argument. Yes, there is a moral argument 
to helping those fleeing war, but let's not forget about the moral 
argument for a government keeping its promise to its citizens that it 
will protect them. Refugees pose serious economic and security concerns 
to the countries of Europe. Modest estimates suggest that Germany, who 
has touted a welcoming posture towards the refugees, will find itself 
spending as much as 10 billion euros in 2015 to accommodate these 
newcomers. If Hungary were to spend even half of that amount, it would 
cost the country upwards of 7% of its annual budget.
  While Germany may be financially capable of weathering the financial 
storm precipitated by the influx of refugees, Hungary's economy may 
not. Despite notable improvements in recent years in both trade and 
investment, Hungary's unemployment rate sits now at 10.5%. The 
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development notes that, 
although Hungary successfully exited from recession in early 2013, the 
recovery of its economy is modest at best. The OECD notes Hungary must 
``maintain fiscal discipline,'' underscoring Budapest's need to invest 
in its own people and economy--not spend billions accommodating others.
  Putting the economic factors aside, it is quite obvious that taking 
in Syrian refugees comes with a whole host of security concerns. ISIS 
has openly boasted in recent months that it is sending operatives to 
Europe under the guise of refugees, intending to fulfill the terrorist 
organization's threat to stage attacks in the West. European and 
American intelligence officials report that ISIS has set up a wing that 
specializes in launching terrorist attacks abroad, providing guidance, 
training and funding for attacks that kill the most civilians possible. 
Earlier this month British media outlets reported that the Tunisian 
leader of an al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group was smuggled into 
Europe posing as a refugee in October before being arrested and 
deported to Tunisia. Unfortunately, we have seen the bloody aftermath 
of the attacks on Paris, which were carried out in part by an ISIS 
terrorist who entered Europe as an asylum seeker.
  The Hungarian Government does not think all of the refugees are 
terrorists. But the grave security concerns should not be written off 
for the sake of humanitarianism. Hungary has a humanitarian obligation 
to its own people too. Hungary has called on the European Union to set 
up the necessary institutions and orderly processes to handle this 
massive influx of people into the bloc. Hungary and its neighboring 
eastern and central European countries should not be expected to bear 
the burden of this sea of refugees. More than anything, these countries 
should not be judged for making decisions based on their own interests. 
That is simply their right.
  And that's just the way it is.

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