--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fact that refugees traveled through…" description: "\"The fact that refugees traveled through six other countries, like former Yugoslavia, Macedonia, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, France, Germany, Holland..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d7/geert-wilders-1869_austria_the-fact-that-refugees-traveled-through_2872864.png" --- # The fact that refugees traveled through six other… ![“The fact that refugees traveled through six other countries, like former Yugoslavia, Macedonia, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, France, Germany, Holland, is because they like our social benefits. They like our welfare state. They know which country to pick. They're not going to stay in Hungary or…” quote by Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d7/geert-wilders-1869_austria_the-fact-that-refugees-traveled-through_2872864.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d7/geert-wilders-1869_austria_the-fact-that-refugees-traveled-through_2872864.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d7/geert-wilders-1869_austria_the-fact-that-refugees-traveled-through_2872864.png) > “The fact that refugees traveled through six other countries, like former Yugoslavia, Macedonia, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, France, Germany, Holland, is because they like our social benefits. They like our welfare state. They know which country to pick. They're not going to stay in Hungary or in Estonia. They come to Germany, to Holland. And people sense that those are not the real refugees. And our government has spent billions of euros on them, and the Dutch people know.” [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He claims refugees choose wealthy nations for benefits, implying they are not genuine asylum seekers. **In simple terms:** Refugees are motivated by welfare benefits. Key Takeaway Question motives behind migration. Themes immigration politics public perception Mood skeptical critical Type political controversial When to use this quote - policy debate - public opinion - media analysis - social services - political campaigning Key Concepts welfare state migration economics national policy Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports or refutes his claim? - How do welfare policies affect migration patterns? A Different Perspective His view overlooks conflict and persecution drivers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Austria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/austria/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Dutch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dutch/) [Estonia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/estonia/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/france/) [Germany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/germany/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holland/) [Hungary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hungary/) [Immigration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigration/) [Macedonia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/macedonia/) [Other countries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/other-countries/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Refugee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refugee/) [Refugees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refugees/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Switzerland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/switzerland/) [Welfare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/welfare/) [Welfare state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/welfare-state/) ## Related quotes > [“What strange and unexpected event has not occurred in our time? The life we have lived is no ordinary human one, but we were born to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschines/what-strange-and-unexpected-event-has-not-occurred-in-our-time-the/) [Aeschines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschines/) > [The Republic of Macedonia is being built on democratic ideals and values, not on ethnic groups. Those ideals and values include economic opportunities, language…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-trajkovski/the-republic-of-macedonia-is-being-built-on-democratic-ideals-and/) [Boris Trajkovski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-trajkovski/) > [How highly should we honor the Macedonians, who for the greater part of their lives never cease from fighting with the barbarians for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polybius/how-highly-should-we-honor-the-macedonians-who-for-the-greater-part/) [Polybius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polybius/) > [“If it were not my purpose to combine barbarian things with things Hellenic, to traverse and civilize every continent, to search out the uttermost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/if-it-were-not-my-purpose-to-combine-barbarian-things-with-things/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [Macedonia was, is and will forever be Greek.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikis-theodorakis/macedonia-was-is-and-will-forever-be-greek/) [Mikis Theodorakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikis-theodorakis/) > [Thus, if there is anyone who is confident that he can advise me as to the best advantage of the state in this campaign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/thus-if-there-is-anyone-who-is-confident-that-he-can-advise-me-as-to/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [ Your ancestors came to Macedonia and the rest of Hellas \[Greece\] and did us great harm, though we had done them no prior injury.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/your-ancestors-came-to-macedonia-and-the-rest-of-hellas-greece-and/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [Macedonia's handling of ethnic relations and other issues is encouraging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-bonino/macedonia-s-handling-of-ethnic-relations-and-other-issues-is/) [Emma Bonino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-bonino/) > [We know what our policy is regarding the territory of Israel, Kosovo, Bosnia, Macedonia and even Nagorno-Karabakh. What is our policy regarding the territory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-farber/we-know-what-our-policy-is-regarding-the-territory-of-israel-kosovo/) Barry Farber > [I prayed the monsters would give up. Or that perhaps Philip of Macedonia would climb back to the terrace (do crocodiles climb?) and renew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-prayed-the-monsters-would-give-up-or-that-perhaps-philip-of/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [There remain of Europe, first, Macedonia and the part of Thrace that are contiguous to it and extend as far as Byzantium; secondly, Greece;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/strabo/there-remain-of-europe-first-macedonia-and-the-part-of-thrace-that/) [Strabo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/strabo/) > [Adolf Hitler is probably the last of the great adventurer-conquerors in the tradition of Alexander, Caesar and Napoleon, and the Third Reich the last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-l-shirer/adolf-hitler-is-probably-the-last-of-the-great-adventurer-conquerors/) [William L. Shirer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-l-shirer/) > [Albania, Macedonia and Greece have managed to create a good partnership in the south of the Continent and are making progress in blocking the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fatos-nano/albania-macedonia-and-greece-have-managed-to-create-a-good/) [Fatos Nano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fatos-nano/) > [New York city, the incomparable, the brilliant star city of cities, the forty-ninth state, a law unto itself, the Cyclopean Paradox, the inferno with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gunther/new-york-city-the-incomparable-the-brilliant-star-city-of-cities-the/) [John Gunther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gunther/) > [ Your ancestors invaded Macedonia and the rest of Greece and did us great harm, though we had done them no prior injury; ... \[and\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arrian/your-ancestors-invaded-macedonia-and-the-rest-of-greece-and-did-us/) [Arrian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arrian/) ## More by Geert Wilders > [Excluding certain problems from the political debate by making it a crime to discuss them won't lead to the disappearance of these concerns, let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/excluding-certain-problems-from-the-political-debate-by-making-it-a/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [I don't want to get rid of the typical Dutch tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/i-don-t-want-to-get-rid-of-the-typical-dutch-tolerance/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [If one in four Dutch people saying they will vote for my party, it's ridiculous to say we're divisive or extreme.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/if-one-in-four-dutch-people-saying-they-will-vote-for-my-party-it-s/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [We need to stop the Islamisation of the Netherlands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/we-need-to-stop-the-islamisation-of-the-netherlands/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [In Islam there is not much room for anything else but Islam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/in-islam-there-is-not-much-room-for-anything-else-but-islam/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [I am not saying that I want to ban Islam. I want less Islam in Europe because it doesn't allow any room for debate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/i-am-not-saying-that-i-want-to-ban-islam-i-want-less-islam-in-europe/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [I never would like to be a country that is that multicultural that, for instance, the Islamic values become more dominant. We should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/i-never-would-like-to-be-a-country-that-is-that-multicultural-that/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [I believe that the mistakes that we made in Europe in the last decades by allowing so much mass immigration from Islamic countries is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/i-believe-that-the-mistakes-that-we-made-in-europe-in-the-last/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [I will not stop fighting against Islam until I have achieved freedom for our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/i-will-not-stop-fighting-against-islam-until-i-have-achieved-freedom/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [While there are many moderate Muslims, Islam's political ideology is radical and has global ambitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/while-there-are-many-moderate-muslims-islam-s-political-ideology-is/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [We address the problems of so many Dutch citizens that are afraid to go out in their neighbourhoods after 10pm, who are afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/we-address-the-problems-of-so-many-dutch-citizens-that-are-afraid-to/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [I don't need headlines. For me, it's the truth that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/i-don-t-need-headlines-for-me-it-s-the-truth-that-matters/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [I cannot tell you who will be accompanying me and why, because that would only make myself more vulnerable. So I will not talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/i-cannot-tell-you-who-will-be-accompanying-me-and-why-because-that/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [Mr. Trump is Mr. Trump. I'm Mr. Wilders. I'm not anybody's copy or whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/mr-trump-is-mr-trump-i-m-mr-wilders-i-m-not-anybody-s-copy-or/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [A key difference between Christianity and Islam is that Muslims believe that the Koran contains verbatim the word of God; it is written in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/a-key-difference-between-christianity-and-islam-is-that-muslims/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) [Explore all 202 Geert Wilders quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) ## More Austria quotes > [I did a ski festival in Austria once. I was struck by how friendly Austrians were, before gradually realising it's more that Glaswegians are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-boyle/i-did-a-ski-festival-in-austria-once-i-was-struck-by-how-friendly/) [Frankie Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-boyle/) > [The north German does not go in for extremes. He has broader horizons than the men from the mountains of Bavaria and Austria.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-donitz/the-north-german-does-not-go-in-for-extremes-he-has-broader-horizons/) [Karl Donitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-donitz/) > [Italy spills over to everything. Italy is a huge banking system. It has been the major banking system in Eastern Europe. It's worked with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/italy-spills-over-to-everything-italy-is-a-huge-banking-system-it-has/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [You know, I'll tell who's really embraced football is Austria. Austria's really embraced football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-leach/you-know-i-ll-tell-who-s-really-embraced-football-is-austria-austria/) [Mike Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-leach/) > [I just went off for two months traveling around Europe on a motorcycle and pretty much turned my phone off. I did 5,000 miles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-fassbender/i-just-went-off-for-two-months-traveling-around-europe-on-a/) [Michael Fassbender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-fassbender/) > [Let others wage war. You, lucky Austria, shall marry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/let-others-wage-war-you-lucky-austria-shall-marry/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [I've done an awful lot of skiing all over Europe: I've done Italy, Austria, France. I skied loads in New Zealand - I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armitage/i-ve-done-an-awful-lot-of-skiing-all-over-europe-i-ve-done-italy/) [Richard Armitage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armitage/) > [So perhaps the most worrying single remark made by a responsible banking official during the current crisis came from Jochen Sanio, the head of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-walker/so-perhaps-the-most-worrying-single-remark-made-by-a-responsible/) [Martin Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-walker/) > [I played No10 for Austria.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alaba/i-played-no10-for-austria/) [David Alaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-alaba/) > [Prussia: freedom of movement with a muzzle. Austria: an isolation cell in which screaming is allowed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/prussia-freedom-of-movement-with-a-muzzle-austria-an-isolation-cell/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [I would definitely return to Austria. They were all good experiences for me, but definitely Austria because there were some ancient Celtic, sacred sites…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-cage/i-would-definitely-return-to-austria-they-were-all-good-experiences/) [Nicolas Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-cage/) > [I can assure you that Austria will fight all forms of anti-Semitism in Europe with determination, be it still an existing one or also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-kurz/i-can-assure-you-that-austria-will-fight-all-forms-of-anti-semitism/) [Sebastian Kurz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-kurz/) > [We are fighting Germany, Austria and drink, and as far as I can see, the greatest of these three deadly foes is drink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lloyd-george/we-are-fighting-germany-austria-and-drink-and-as-far-as-i-can-see-the/) [David Lloyd George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lloyd-george/) > [Austria is a very export-oriented country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-kurz/austria-is-a-very-export-oriented-country/) [Sebastian Kurz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-kurz/) > [I said to the German Ambassador that, as long as there was only a dispute between Austria and Serbia alone, I did not feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-grey/i-said-to-the-german-ambassador-that-as-long-as-there-was-only-a/) [Edward Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-grey/) [Browse all 107 Austria quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/austria/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The fact that refugees traveled through six other countries, like former Yugoslavia, Macedonia, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, France, Germany, Holland, is because they like our social benefits. 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