The Hungarian government is continuing to defend itself against pressure from Brussels, according to official sources.
According to government sources, Hungary has been in continuous talks with officials from the European Commission on the Hungarian immigration regulations currently in force. The most important issue for the government is the continued existence of transit zones.
During negotiations, officials from the European Commission criticized several points of the immigration regulations, the operation of transit zones and the establishment of the border security fence. In response, the government showed willingness to house migrants who are under eighteen in youth camps within Hungary until their requests for asylum are assessed, as is the case with children, providing they undertake DNA testing to determine their age.
The European Commission officials are objecting to the existence of transit zones. Hungary wishes to maintain the transit zones under all circumstances because, together with the border security fence, it is the transit zones that guarantee the security of Hungarian citizens and Europe.
“The Hungarian government has always undertaken political debate so far and is also ready for legal disputes on the subject of illegal immigration,” György Bakondi, chief security advisor to the prime minister, said.
“We have always been open to negotiations between experts from the European Union and the Hungarian government," Bakondi said.
“During negotiations in recent days the Hungarian government made a gesture and offered to examine the possibility of housing migrants aged 14 to 18 years in camps in Hungary until their asylum request is ruled upon instead of in the transit zones, providing they agree to a DNA test," he said.
“The Commission’s team of experts did not find this to be satisfactory; in their view the very existence of the transit zones and the border security fence is unacceptable," he added.