Hungary ready to resist macron's 'european united states'

Hungarian President Victor Orban announced plans to team up with Italian eurosceptic leader Matteo Salvini to fight off pressure from the European Union to impose EU migration policy on

member states. During the historic meeting in Milan, the newfound allies launched a scathing attack on French President Emmanuel Macron for failing to accept Hungary and Italy's

standpoints on the issue. Mr Orban's spokesman Zoltán Kovács defended the two European leaders, telling the Today programme: "You have to name your opponent. "What we’ve seen

coming from Monsieur Macron is indeed a pro-migration, a non-national identity-based Europe, the European United States which we strongly resist because it’s against the nations of

Europe." Mr Kovács accused the French President of "double standards" when it came to accepting different points of view from other EU member states, especially countries in

Central Europe demanding a tougher migration policy from the bloc. He continued: "Nobody ever agreed that there is a common migration policy in the European Union. "Just to keep in

mind that flatly rejecting a and swiping away Central European standpoints over illegal migration is not only unjust and unfair but it’s fully double standards. That’s what we see coming

from France. "As a matter of fact, that’s what Mr Salvini announced that all that is coming from France in the name of more Europe is double standards and the rejection of other

nations’ perspectives." Mr Kovács insisted that Brussels could not demand compliance from countries like Hungary and Italy until the bloc reigned in "bigger countries". He

added: "Up until you see from bigger countries – including France which is probably the most hypocritical in its stance if it's about illegal immigration –double standards and

non-execution of allegedly all European solidarity then how can you convince anyone in Central Europe to follow anybody’s lead?" Mr Orban accused the Mr Macron of welcoming illegal

immigrants into his country:  “He leads the European force that backs migration, he’s the leader of those parties who back migration to Europe, and on the other side there’s us who want to

stop illegal migration. Mr Salvini insisted Mr Macron did hardly anything to help Italy when it comes to migration and the country asks for help. He has also repeatedly criticised the

European Union over immigration and accused the bloc of abandoning Italy as it struggled to deal with the hundreds of thousands of migrants who have arrived since 2013. Mr Salvini said the

country had “nothing to learn from anyone about generosity, voluntarism, welcoming and solidarity” and demanded a formal apology from Mr Macron.