EU warns of retaliation over Hungary’s plan to send migrant buses to Brussels

• The EU’s executive branch warns of Hungary’s threat to send a bus convoy of migrants to Brussels.
• Hungary’s anti-immigrant government is serious about providing free one-way travel to Brussels for migrants.
• The measure aims to pressure the European Commission into dropping heavy fines imposed on Hungary.

On Tuesday, the EU’s powerful executive branch warned that Hungary’s threat to send a bus convoy of migrants to Brussels in protest against European Union policies is unacceptable and would prompt retaliatory action from the bloc.

Last week, Hungary’s anti-immigrant government signaled its seriousness about providing free one-way travel to Brussels for migrants. This measure aims to pressure the European Commission into dropping heavy fines imposed on Hungary over its restrictive asylum policies.

In June, the European Court of Justice ordered Hungary to pay a fine of 200 million euros ($216 million) for persistently violating the bloc’s asylum rules, with an additional 1 million euros per day until it aligns its policies with EU law. The government in Budapest is delaying the payment.

Asked about Hungary’s plan, commission spokeswoman Anitta Hipper said: “It is unacceptable.”

“This action, if carried out, would be in clear breach of the EU law, but also it would be in clear breach of the principle of sincere and loyal cooperation, but also of mutual trust,” Hipper told reporters. The commission has its headquarters in the Belgian capital.

“In addition, it will also undermine the security of the Schengen area as a whole,” she said, about the 29-country zone where people and goods can cross borders without document checks.

The commission is in contact with both the Hungarian authorities and officials in any neighboring countries that the convoy might pass through if it departs. Traveling overland, the buses would need to cross either France or Germany—countries that, along with Luxembourg and the Netherlands, surround Belgium—and possibly other EU member countries such as Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia, or the Czech Republic.

“We are also standing ready to use all our powers under the treaty to ensure that EU law is respected,” Hipper said. The most effective step would be for other member countries to stop the buses by reintroducing border checks.

Hipper did not elaborate on the actions the commission can take, but it is difficult to determine what punishment might dissuade Hungary, considering the country is already defying a court order to pay 200 million euros in fines.

On Monday, Belgium’s top migration official, Nicole de Moor, stated that Hungary’s threat “undermines solidarity and cooperation within the Union.” Her office announced that Belgian authorities will “not provide access” to any such migrant arrivals.

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