Threats made last week by Hungarian officials to transport unwanted migrants to Brussels faced pushback from the powerful European Commission on Tuesday.
“This action, if carried out, would be in clear breach of the E.U. law, but also it would be in clear breach of the principle of sincere and loyal cooperation, but also of mutual trust,” commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper told reporters while referring to the proposal as “unacceptable.”
Although Hipper did not indicate what specific sanctions would be taken against Budapest if they implemented their plan, the representative described the political bloc as “ready to use all our powers under the treaty to ensure that E.U. law is respected.”
Hipper’s remarks come in the context of Hungary’s conservative government strongly opposing the €200 million fine imposed by the European Court of Justice in June for its failure to comply with E.U. asylum laws, preferring to maintain its stricter national regulations.
Over the past decade, as refugees have arrived in large numbers on the continent, regional lawmakers have had to navigate the challenges of accommodating around 4 million individuals. This surge in irregular immigration has sometimes caused tensions among E.U. member states over the financial responsibilities and the strategies needed for effective integration of the newcomers.
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