In late August, the Hungarian government came up with the idea — borrowed and amended from the U.S. Republican playbook — of giving every migrant trying to enter the country a one-way ticket to Brussels. The previous June ruling by the EU’s top court had forced Budapest to adopt a “no detention” refugee policy, zones.” (For all that the ‘ would introduce similar “reception centers” at Schengen borders.)
The mayor of Brussels and other Belgian officials have slammed the Budapest proposal, calling it a “provocation that contradicts European obligations.” Orbán, however, insists the CJEU ruling is unfair — especially as countries in Western Europe tighten their own border controls — and wants to get his own back.
“The era of free travel is coming to an end,” Orbán said in his speech to the country’s parliament, referring to Germany’s decision to temporarily introduce controls at its borders and new French Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s stance on tightening France’s frontier controls.
Orbán said that “all they had to do” to avoid this situation was to “follow the Hungarian example and not let the migrants in in the first place.” He added, however, that even if Budapest’s policy was “proved right,” Hungary is still being punished for “defending Europe’s borders.”
