Hungary threatens to send refugees to Brussels due to EU sanctions
Gergely Gulyas (Getty Images)
Hungary may start redirecting migrants who appear at its borders directly to Brussels if it cannot resolve a dispute with the European Union over sanctions related to its asylum policy, according to the head of the Hungarian Prime Minister's office, Gergely Gulyás.
The European Court of Justice has imposed a fine of €200 million on Hungary, plus an additional daily penalty of €1 million, for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's failure to comply with a previous court ruling on the protection of asylum seekers. Orbán had already promised retaliation in June for this decision, which is one of several issues clouding the start of his EU presidency in the second half of 2024.
Negotiations with the European Commission are set to begin in September. If these talks do not succeed, Hungary will start issuing "one-way tickets to Brussels" for migrants, Gulyás said.
"We should find an agreement as soon as possible because we wouldn’t like to pay large amounts on a daily basis," Gulyás said. "But if Brussels wants to take in migrants, we can help."
Gulyás did not provide details on how such a scheme would work.
This week, human rights groups criticized Hungary for halting state-funded aid to Ukrainian refugees arriving from regions not directly affected by front-line fighting with Russia. A group of Hungarians from Zakarpattia was temporarily left without shelter after relocating, although Gulyás said aid groups had helped provide them with housing.
According to an EU representative, the EU's executive body is reviewing the decree but stated that the EU remains united on the issue of providing protection, including shelter, to those fleeing conflict.
At the same time, Hungary has eased entry for Russian and Belarusian citizens. They no longer have to undergo special checks when entering the country. Lithuania's foreign minister said this move could threaten the security of the entire European Union.
