The Refugee Crisis In Hungary And Its Effect On Its Relationship With The EU

This thesis has analyzed two closely related subjects: the refugee crisis in Hungary and its effects on the relationship between Hungary and the European Union.The thesis consists of an introduction and four main chapters.In the introduction I briefly state my personal reasons for choosing the topic,as well as the current research existing on the European refugee crisis.I explain my research methodology and the theoretical framework.I introduce some of the main references I used during the writing period and I state my expected conclusion.Chapter 1 explains the background of the refugee crisis in Hungary.Firstly,I analyze the global situation and how it affects Europe,and mainly Hungary.I address the conflicts and challenges that arose as a consequence of the migration wave.In the second part of this chapter,I explain the current situation in Hungary as a result of the refugee crisis,using extensive data to prove the severity of the crisis,and explaining the geographical and political importance of the country.Moreover,I briefly introduce how the conflict between Hungary and the European Union started and what were the policies leading up to it.The following chapter analyzes the deterioration of the refugee crisis in Hungary,mainly focusing on the events after the summer of 2015,when the crisis has reached its peak.At this time,violations of the law and human rights have happened at the Hungarian borders due to the influx of refugees and migrant smugglers.Besides,the crisis has brought up several problems that the affected countries have to face on a daily basis.These problems are different in every EU Member State,depending on several aspects.In Hungary's case,it has to face economic implications,human rights violations and social problems as well.The third chapter discusses the Hungarian refugee policy as a result of the crisis.I explain the government's main goals and basic policies,including the controversial 'zero refugee' strategy,the asylum procedures,and amendments in Hungary's refugee law.Apart from this,government propaganda plays a big role in how the Hungarian public perceives the crisis.Since 2015,there has been several disagreements between the EU and Hungary.This chapter also includes an analysis on these disagreements,focusing on the relocation program and the results of the 2016 October Hungarian migrant quota referendum.The last chapter reviews the relationship between Hungary and the EU from the country's accession in 2004 until 2017.This chapter is divided into 3 parts,demonstrating the gradually worsening relations of Hungary with the EU.Firstly,it discusses the progress of EU accession and the early relationship until 2010.The second part explains the rise of Euroscepticism in Hungary due to several political and economic factors.Lastly,I analyze how the migration issue led to the deterioration of the relationship between Hungary and the EU.