Hungle's Leader Orban Advocates for EU Financing in Support of His Anti-Immigrant Strategy
Hungary's conservative leader, Prime Minister Viktor Orban, is contemplating invoicing the EU for defending against migrant influx, as suggested by a decree he signed and published in the Hungarian Gazette. This decree emphasizes that Hungary has dished out approximately 2 billion euros since 2015, shielding the EU's boundaries and Schengen zone. Orban insists that the EU ought to repay this funds. Consequently, the "relevant authorities" are advised to assess if this figure could be offset against the EU Court of Justice fines levied on Hungary in June for its immigration policies. The details of Hungary's implementation strategy remain elusive at the moment.
The refugee upheaval of 2015 saw Hungary install barbed wire fences at its borders with Serbia and Croatia, successfully minimizing the number of unlawful migrants entering its territory via the Balkan trail.
On June 13, the EU Court of Justice ruled that Hungary was obligated to shell out 200 million euros, together with a daily supplement of 1 million euros for each delayed day, due to its failure to implement the court's guidelines concerning the asylum setup. Hungary was determined to have transgressed EU treaties by actively circumventing the application of a joint Union policy which was labeled as a severe and unprecedented breach of EU laws.
The EU Court of Justice had already delivered a verdict on Hungary's migration policies in 2020, addressing matters such as procedures in transition camps situated at the Serbia border, which were subsequently shut down. Later, the court nullified a Hungarian rule mandating asylum seekers to undergo a preliminary procedure at Hungarian embassies before being eligible to seek asylum in Hungary. This practice remains prevalent in Hungary.
The EU Court of Justice fined Hungary 200 million euros in June for disregarding its guidelines on asylum setup, and Orban argues that these funds should be used to offset the 2 billion euros Hungary has spent on defending the EU's borders within the Schengen zone, as per the EU. The EU, being a significant economic bloc, could potentially discuss this matter with Hungary's conservative leader, Prime Minister Orban.
