The Court of Justice of the European Union, the EU’s top court, has ruled that Hungary violated EU law when it prevented illegal immigrants from seeking asylum. The ruling paves the way for the European Commission, the EU’s powerful administrative arm, to impose financial penalties over Hungary’s restrictive immigration policies. The Hungarian government has vowed that it will not bow to pressure to jump aboard the EU’s multicultural bandwagon.
In its December 17 ruling, the court, informally known as European Court of Justice (ECJ) accused the Hungarian government of corralling migrants into so-called transit zones and of limiting their ability to apply for asylum. The court also found that Hungary did not allow asylum seekers to leave detention while their cases were being considered and offered no special protection to children and the vulnerable.
The case stems from a lawsuit filed by the European Commission over a 2015 decision by Hungary to establish two transit zones on its southern border with Serbia to stop a mass influx of migrants from Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The action prevented migrants from entering Hungary or transiting the country to reach other parts of the EU.In May 2020, the ECJ ruled that the transit zones were illegal under EU law. In order to comply with the ruling, Hungary has since closed the transit zones. Asylum seekers wanting to enter Hungary now have to apply for asylum at Hungarian embassies or consulates in neighboring non-EU countries. “External border protection is an issue that Hungary cannot, does not want to, and will not concede,”said Gergely Gulyás, from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Hungary to Close Transit Zones After European Court RulingFollowing an ECJ ruling, Hungary has pledged to close the much