Hungary's PM Magyar accuses Orban government of hypocrisy on migration policy
Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar on Saturday accused former prime minister Viktor Orban's government of misleading the public on migration, claiming it privately prepared facilities to house migrants while publicly promoting a hardline anti-immigration stance.
Speaking at a press conference in Budapest, Magyar alleged that the previous Fidesz administration had been preparing reception facilities at a former agricultural school complex in Csermajor despite opposing migrant relocation schemes.
He also criticised the handling of Hungary's dispute with the European Union over asylum policy, arguing that the previous government had knowingly exposed the country to substantial financial penalties.
“This daily one million euros, about which the cabinet meeting minutes acknowledge, not that it is justified, but that the previous government did everything to ensure there would be a penalty of this severity,” Magyar said.
In June 2024, the European Court of Justice fined Hungary €200 million and imposed an additional €1 million daily penalty for failing to comply with EU asylum regulations.
Magyar said his government was exploring solutions used elsewhere in Europe to meet EU requirements while avoiding the establishment of migrant camps in Hungary.
“We are working to develop such a regulation so that, on the one hand, there indeed won't be migrant camps in Hungary, and we won't have to continue paying this daily fine of one million euros,” he said.
Asked about the EU Migration and Asylum Pact, which entered into force on Friday, Magyar said Hungary would favour providing technical assistance to other member states rather than accepting relocated asylum seekers.
“There is a third option, for example, which the Orban government also used previously, providing additional technical border protection assistance through Frontex to either Greece or Serbia,” he said.
Magyar argued that the pact includes broader provisions beyond migrant relocation and introduces stricter migration rules than previous EU frameworks.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
