Buses driving from the Serbian-Hungarian border to Brussels: that seems to be the dream of Hungary’s deputy interior minister. Now Belgium is responding harshly to the threat.
Belgium has reacted angrily to Hungary’s announcement that it will in future transport migrants to Brussels by coach. The government in Budapest’s plan is “unacceptable,” said the Belgian Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration, Nicole de Moor, on Monday. On Friday, Hungarian Deputy Minister of the Interior Bence Retvari presented several buses belonging to the public bus company Volanbusz, with the display sign reading “Röszke – Brussels.” Röszke is a town on a border crossing with Serbia, through which migrants enter the country.
With this action, the Hungarian government wants to react to a record fine of 200 million euros that the European Court of Justice (ECJ) imposed on the country in June for violations of EU asylum law. The government in Budapest had described the fine as “completely unjust” – and announced that it would not pay the sum. If Hungary actually refuses to pay, the EU Commission can withhold certain funding.
Presenting the buses on Friday, Deputy Interior Minister Retvari said the EU wanted to force Hungary “to let the illegal immigrants we are stopping at the country’s southern border into the country.” He continued: “Very well, after applying European procedural rules, we will offer them a free ride to Brussels.” He added: “If Brussels wants them, it will get them.”
Belgium is used to threats from Hungary
On Monday, Belgian Secretary of State for Asylum de Moor commented on the announcement from Hungary that “such audacity” was “harmful and counterproductive”. It undermined “solidarity and cooperation within the EU” and was a “blatant violation of European and international agreements”.
Migration 2024
Most people apply for asylum in Germany from these countries
Hungary had already announced a similar action in August. The EU Commission had stated at the time that it was used to “loud announcements of this kind from Hungary”.
Source: Stern
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