Hungary: Belgium reacts to threat to send migrants by bus

Migration debate
Hungary wants to transport refugees to Brussels by bus – Belgium reacts

Hungary's Deputy Interior Minister Bence Retvari stands in front of buses "Röszke - Brussels" stands

Hungary’s Deputy Interior Minister Bence Retvari (right) in front of buses with the sign reading “Röszke – Brussels”

© Tibor Illyes / MTI via AP / Picture Alliance

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 indignantly to the announcement Hungary’s response is to transport migrants to Brussels by coach in the future. The plan of the government in Budapest is “unacceptable,” said the Belgian Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration, Nicole de Moor, on Monday. On Friday, the 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 place at 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”.

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”.

tkr
AFP

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