Hungary considers sending migrants to Brussels
Date
8/25/2024 6:47:48 AM
(MENAFN) Hungary is considering a controversial response to recent penalties imposed by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) by offering to transport asylum seekers to Western Europe instead of accommodating them within its borders. Gergely Gulyas, head of the office of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, unveiled this potential plan on Thursday as a reaction to the court’s recent decision.
Last month, the ECJ fined Hungary EUR200 million (USD216 million) for its failure to adhere to European Union regulations concerning refugees. Additionally, the court imposed an extra penalty of EUR1 million per day for ongoing non-compliance. Gulyas criticized the court's decision, labeling it a “disgrace” and suggesting that Hungary might offer asylum seekers the option to travel to Brussels at no cost. “If Brussels wants migrants, it can have them,” Gulyas stated, implying that if the European Union demands compliance, it should be prepared to handle the migrants directly.
Gulyas also proposed that migrants could be sent towards Austria and Germany, where they could then negotiate their futures with the European Commission. This stance reflects Hungary's longstanding opposition to European Union mandates on migration, which it argues are incompatible with its national policies and cultural values.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban has previously condemned the ECJ's ruling as “outrageous and unacceptable,” pledging to seek alternative ways to address the situation. Hungary's hardline approach to immigration has been a point of contention within the European Union, particularly since the 2015 migrant crisis when Hungary erected fences along its borders with Serbia and Croatia to curb the influx of migrants. The recent fine relates to a 2020 ECJ ruling that directed Budapest to reform its handling of asylum seekers.
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