Refugees 'threaten Europe's Christian identity': Orban

BERLIN - Agence France-Presse

European Council President Donald Tusk, right, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban participate in a media conference at the EU Council building in Brussels on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2015. AP Photo

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban warned on Sept.3 that the wave of refugees and migrants coming to Europe and the EU's "failed immigration policy" threaten to undermine the continent's Christian roots.

"If you're being overrun, you can't accept" migrants, he wrote in German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, adding that most were Muslims, not Christians.
 
"We must not forget that those who are coming in have been brought up under a different religion and represent a profoundly different culture," wrote the conservative leader, who was visiting Brussels on Sept.3.
 
"The majority are not Christians but Muslims. That is an important question because Europe and European culture have Christian roots.
 
"Or is it not already, and in itself, alarming that Europe's Christian culture is barely able to uphold Europe's own Christian values?"  

Orban defended his government's controversial decision to build a fence along its Serbian border in an effort to stop and slow the influx of people fleeing war and misery.
 
"The people want us to control the situation and protect our borders," he wrote.
 
"Only when we have protected our borders can we ask questions about the numbers of people we can take in, or whether there should be quotas."  

He added that it was "pretty depressing that, aside from Hungary -- or the Spaniards -- no-one wants to protect the borders of Europe."  

Orban charged that it was "irresponsible" of European politicians "to give migrants hope for a better life and to encourage them to leave everything behind to risk their lives by leaving for Europe".
 
"The fence which Hungary is building is important," he added, according to the German language text.  

"We're not doing that for fun, but because it is necessary."  

In Brussels, EU President Donald Tusk reacted to the article, saying that "for me Christianity in public and social life means a duty to our brothers in need".    

"Referring to Christianity in a public debate on migration must mean the humanity to our brothers ... (and) readiness to show solidarity."