Rétvári Bence, Hungary’s deputy interior minister, held a press conference, standing alongside buses, to announce the country’s intention to provide free transport for migrants heading to the EU's capital.
“If the European Union forces Hungary to accept illegal migrants, Hungary will offer to transport them to Brussels once the process is complete,” Bence said.
This move marks the latest escalation in Hungary's long-standing dispute with the EU over asylum policies. Earlier this week, Hungary missed a deadline to pay €200 million in fines for breaching EU refugee regulations.
Hungary has been a vocal critic of EU laws that require member states to accept refugees and asylum seekers.
Bence criticized the Court of Justice of the European Union for imposing what he described as a "gigantic, disproportionate, and unfair fine" on Hungary, aimed at forcing the country to accept large numbers of migrants and abandon its current migration policy.
Following Bence's announcement, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán expressed his view on the EU’s policies toward migration.
"This summer has shown that #migration is tearing the European Union apart. Hungary and others should have the option to opt out of the common migration policy!" Orban wrote on X.
Hungary fined by the EU
Hungary first introduced its plan to bus migrants to Brussels in August after being ordered to pay the €200 million fine.
The dispute dates back to December 2020, when the European Court of Justice ruled that Hungary, under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, had severely restricted access to asylum procedures for those seeking international protection, making it "virtually impossible" to submit applications, Euronews reported.
Hungarian authorities were also criticized for unlawfully detaining asylum seekers in "transit zones" under conditions resembling detention, and for violating their right to appeal rejected asylum claims, leading to significant concerns over Hungary's compliance with EU asylum regulations.
Bence indicated that Hungary is now close to implementing the plan, asserting that the country’s stance on migration is primarily about national security: “We want to protect our borders and ensure Hungary’s security,” Bence said.
Political motives also seem to play a role in the initiative. In both the initial announcement and Bence’s recent confirmation, officials have stressed the idea of holding Brussels accountable for its migration policies.
In a Facebook post, Bence reiterated Hungary’s stance.
"The buses are ready! If Brussels wants more migrants, they can have them. But we want to protect our borders and ensure the security of Hungary," Bence wrote, reinforcing a populist narrative that Brussels is disconnected from the realities faced by individual EU nations.
The EU has yet to officially respond to Hungary’s bussing plan.
