Hungary will not pay ‘unfair’ fine for violating EU asylum rules

BUDAPEST: Hungary, which took over the rotating presidency of the European Union this week, said Friday it would not pay a multi-million euro fine imposed by the European Court of Justice for violating asylum rules.

In June, the European Court of Justice fined Hungary €200 million and imposed a €1 million daily penalty payment for failing to implement a 2020 ruling requiring it to follow international procedures for asylum seekers. “We have no intention of paying this fine because it is totally unfair,” Deputy Interior Minister Bence Retvati told reporters.

“This fine we received is a form of political pressure because of our approach to illegal immigration,” he added.

Contrary to European Union rules, Budapest allows asylum seekers to submit their applications abroad only at Hungarian embassies.

In December 2020, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that Hungary was not allowing asylum seekers to leave detention while their cases were being examined and was not providing any special protection for children and other vulnerable people. Budapest continued to restrict migrants’ access to formal asylum applications and to disregard their right to stay while their applications were being processed, the court said in June.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a vocal proponent of a plot to replace white Europeans with non-white immigrants, is often at odds with Brussels over migration and refugee policy. Hungary also opposes a recent overhaul of EU legislation on the treatment of asylum seekers and migrants.