Hungarian premier rejects EU migration decision as 'absurd'
'Latest Brusselian decision requires that from next July Hungary must either take migrants in from other European countries or pay for them,' says Viktor Orban
ISTANBUL
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Tuesday sharply criticized the European Commission’s latest migration decision, calling it an “absurd and unjust attack” on his country and vowing it will not implement the measure.
In a statement on US social media company X, Orban said Brussels’ claim that Hungary is not affected by the migration crisis is “outrageous” and “completely detached from reality,” insisting that the country remains “the most stable bastion of defence in Europe.”
According to Orban, “tens of thousands” of people attempted to cross Hungary’s southern borders illegally this year, attempts he said were thwarted by the border fence and thousands of deployed border guards.
He criticized the EU for punishing these efforts, saying “Brussels punishes (us) with a fine of €1 million/day.”
Orban warned that although Hungary had “closed the southern route,” the newly approved EU migration pact opens “a western front,” requiring member states starting next July to either accept migrants relocated from other EU countries or pay a financial contribution.
“The latest Brusselian decision requires that from next July Hungary must either take migrants in from other European countries or pay for them,” he said.
Declaring that his government would resist the plan, Orban said: “I want to make it absolutely clear once and for all that as long as Hungary has a national government, we will not implement this outrageous decision.”
The Council of the EU said member states reached a political agreement on next year’s solidarity pool on Monday, designed to support frontline countries facing migratory pressure.
Under the agreement, the 2026 solidarity pool will be equivalent to 21,000 relocations or alternative solidarity measures, or €420 million in financial contributions. Members can choose among three types of commitments: accepting relocations, making financial payments or offering alternative support, such as operational assistance.
