Hungarians' fear of immigration centered on job insecurity

Hungarians do not hate foreigners but are worried about them taking their jobs, sociologist Antal Örkény, a professor and dean at Budapest's ELTE University, said in a recent interview to inforadio.hu.

But Örkény said he thinks the fear of foreigners taking Hungarians' jobs is unrealistic, and that another reason for Hungarians' xenophobia is that they tend to reflect their inner fears onto immigrants.

Örkény also stressed that the number of immigrants in Hungary is low compared to other countries, where large numbers of new arrivals do generate conflicts.

Immigrants did not start to arrive in Hungary country until the system change two decades ago.

The professor pointed out that a considerable number of immigrants take up jobs where they are needed, and not where existing employees' jobs are in danger.

• Email
• Save to My Caboodle