Hungary approves ‘Stop Soros’ law criminalizing some help to illegal immigrants

Hungary’s parliament on Wednesday approved a package of bills that criminalizes some help given to illegal immigrants, defying the EU and human rights groups. Under the new law, called ‘Stop Soros,’ individuals or groups who help migrants not entitled to protection to submit requests for asylum or who help illegal migrants gain status to stay in Hungary will be liable to prison terms, Reuters said. The package of bills makes the organization of illegal immigration a criminal offence, according to Interior Minister Sandor Pinter. “We want to use the bills to stop Hungary from becoming a country of immigrants,” he said. Parliament also passed on Wednesday a constitutional amendment to state that an “alien population” cannot be settled in Hungary, seen as a swipe at Brussels over its quota plan.