The Hungarian government insists that Brussels takes into consideration Hungary’s demands regarding border protection.
Bence Rétvári, the interior ministry parliamentary state secretary, said Brussels has levied fines to an “unprecedented” extent because Hungary is barring the entry of illegal migrants while spending massive amounts to protect the border. He added that the government is taking legal action “to assert its demands against the European Commission” when it comes to covering the costs of border protection. Hungary has contributed towards ensuring free internal flows in the Schengen area thanks to its controls against mass migration, he said, adding that Brussels “owes Hungary about 2 billion euros”, which is how much the country has spent on protecting the border since 2015. The executive decree on taking legal action against the EC has been published in the official Hungarian Gazette, the statement noted.