Hungary prepares for referendum on EU refugee quotas

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Campaigning in Hungary is in full swing ahead of a referendum this Sunday on EU refugee quotas.

Prime Minster Viktor Orban is deeply opposed to plans from Brussels to distribute asylum seekers across the bloc.

A huge government sponsored billboard campaign, has accused migrants of being responsible, among other things, for last year’s Paris attacks and an increase in rapes in Europe.

“Look at the other European countries which have accepted immigrants. Look at the problems they have. Women are raped and so on,’‘ said one man.

Accused of feeding voters fears, other government backed billboards, warn that one million migrants want to come to Europe from Libya alone.

The opposition has launched a counter campaign, aimed at mocking the government’s ads. One reads, ‘‘Did you know? One million Hungarians want to go to Europe.’‘

In addition to its anti-immigrant messages, Hungary’s government has also been accused of deliberately mistreating refugees and migrants.

Earlier this week, Amnesty International published a report saying Budapest had done this on purpose to deter people from entering the country.