Hungary Considers Legal Action Against the EU
Budapest seeks reimbursement from Brussels for its expenditures on border protection measures aimed at combating illegal migration. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Hungary is considering legal action against the European Commission to obtain compensation for expenses incurred in securing its borders during recent migrant surges, according to a top official from Prime Minister Viktor Orban's office. Gergely Gulyas, who spoke to journalists on Thursday, declared that Hungary remains opposed to accepting migrants and mentioned that those receiving political asylum according to EU regulations would be sent directly to Brussels with a "free one-way trip." In response to the migration crisis, Hungary sealed its southern border in 2015.
“We are ready to sue the European Commission after it had reimbursed partially or in full the costs incurred by other member states protecting the Schengen border,” Gulyas stated, as reported by Reuters. He also commented on Germany’s recent decision to enhance border security measures to fend off Islamist extremism threats and manage irregular migration. These actions prompted Gulyas to warn that these policies could dismantle the Schengen Area and profoundly affect the European economy.
Reflecting on long-standing concerns, Gulyas observed, “The government said the same thing ten years ago: ‘If we don’t protect the external borders, the internal borders will be restored. Now we see that the internal, border-free area of Schengen is ending, we are living between borders again, which no one wanted.”
He highlighted that Hungary had allocated €2 billion to safeguard the Schengen borders in recent years, yet had not received adequate support from the EU. Hungary's contentious relationship with the EU has been exacerbated by disputes over migration policies, notably its opposition to EU-wide resettlement quotas. In June, the European Court of Justice imposed a €200 million fine on Hungary for non-compliance with the EU's asylum policies, with an additional daily penalty of €1 million until the regulations were met.
Responding fiercely to the penalties, Orban criticized the judgment as "outrageous and unacceptable." Furthermore, Budapest officials have threatened escalatory actions, such as transporting migrants to Brussels via bus, prompting assurances from the EU of decisive countermeasures.
The ongoing migration dilemmas facing the EU, instigated by disruptions in the Middle East and Africa, and more recently by the conflict in Ukraine, saw an 18% increase in irregular border crossings in 2023, totaling 385,445, according to the European Commission.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
“We are ready to sue the European Commission after it had reimbursed partially or in full the costs incurred by other member states protecting the Schengen border,” Gulyas stated, as reported by Reuters. He also commented on Germany’s recent decision to enhance border security measures to fend off Islamist extremism threats and manage irregular migration. These actions prompted Gulyas to warn that these policies could dismantle the Schengen Area and profoundly affect the European economy.
Reflecting on long-standing concerns, Gulyas observed, “The government said the same thing ten years ago: ‘If we don’t protect the external borders, the internal borders will be restored. Now we see that the internal, border-free area of Schengen is ending, we are living between borders again, which no one wanted.”
He highlighted that Hungary had allocated €2 billion to safeguard the Schengen borders in recent years, yet had not received adequate support from the EU. Hungary's contentious relationship with the EU has been exacerbated by disputes over migration policies, notably its opposition to EU-wide resettlement quotas. In June, the European Court of Justice imposed a €200 million fine on Hungary for non-compliance with the EU's asylum policies, with an additional daily penalty of €1 million until the regulations were met.
Responding fiercely to the penalties, Orban criticized the judgment as "outrageous and unacceptable." Furthermore, Budapest officials have threatened escalatory actions, such as transporting migrants to Brussels via bus, prompting assurances from the EU of decisive countermeasures.
The ongoing migration dilemmas facing the EU, instigated by disruptions in the Middle East and Africa, and more recently by the conflict in Ukraine, saw an 18% increase in irregular border crossings in 2023, totaling 385,445, according to the European Commission.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
