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Hungary to take legal steps against Brussles over migrant fine

International legal experts would be involved in the preparation of steps to be taken to protect Hungarian interests, for which 600 million forints (EUR 1.5m) have been allocated.

The Hungarian government considers it unacceptable that Hungary has been fined by Brussels over its migration rules and will take legal steps as already announced in September.

The justice ministry said the required authorisation and financial resources had been announced in a government resolution published in Wednesday's official gazette Magyar Közlöny.

The ministry said in a statement on Thursday that international legal experts would be involved in the preparation of steps to be taken to protect Hungarian interests, for which 600 million forints (EUR 1.5m) have been allocated.

Contrary to press reports, the government will not yield to the ruling, and on the contrary, it will start taking legal steps against the Brussels' decision and pressurising attempts, it added.

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has levied a 200 million euro one-off fine on Hungary and expects the payment of 1 million euros for every subsequent day of non-compliance in a case initiated by the European Commission over migration rules regulations, it said.

"The sum is brutal, being seven times larger than the fine the European Commission had proposed to the court," it added.

The justice minister has been instructed to assess the legal possibilities for preventing the consequences of the ruling imposed by the ECJ, it said.

"The government will continue to enforce Hungarian people's will and we will continue to protect the borders from illegal migrants," the statement added.