Hungary Sues European Commission Over €1 Million-A-Day
The Hungarian government has launched a legal challenge against the European Commission's decision to impose a daily €1 million fine over the country's refusal to accept illegal migrants. György Bakondi, the chief security advisor to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, announced on Wednesday that Budapest will file a lawsuit with the European Court of Justice.
Appearing on TV2's 'Mokka' program, Bakondi said Hungary will not comply with the European Union's new Migration Pact, which he described as 'a clear call for illegal immigrants to be allowed in.' He emphasized that Hungary remains committed to its sovereignty and national security, and refuses to be pressured into taking in individuals who entered the bloc unlawfully.
The lawsuit will be led by a team of lawyers with what Bakondi called 'a serious reputation,' including two former members of the European Court of Justice.
Hungary's resistance to EU migration policy is not new. In 2015, the country faced a surge of more than 400,000 illegal border crossings within two months. In response, the government implemented border fences and legal restrictions to halt the flow. Officials credited these measures with preventing the emergence of terrorist threats, no-go zones, and the overburdening of public services.
In a national referendum in 2016, 98 percent of those who voted rejected the proposal to allow the European Union to mandate the obligatory resettlement of non-Hungarian citizens into Hungary without parliamentary approval. The referendum had a 44 percent turnout, under the 50 percent threshold required to be considered valid.
Click here to read more
Also read: Ukraine Funds Left-Wing Smear Campaign to Oust Hungary's Orbán
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gulf Insider
3 days ago
- Gulf Insider
Hungary Sues European Commission Over €1 Million-A-Day
The Hungarian government has launched a legal challenge against the European Commission's decision to impose a daily €1 million fine over the country's refusal to accept illegal migrants. György Bakondi, the chief security advisor to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, announced on Wednesday that Budapest will file a lawsuit with the European Court of Justice. Appearing on TV2's 'Mokka' program, Bakondi said Hungary will not comply with the European Union's new Migration Pact, which he described as 'a clear call for illegal immigrants to be allowed in.' He emphasized that Hungary remains committed to its sovereignty and national security, and refuses to be pressured into taking in individuals who entered the bloc unlawfully. The lawsuit will be led by a team of lawyers with what Bakondi called 'a serious reputation,' including two former members of the European Court of Justice. Hungary's resistance to EU migration policy is not new. In 2015, the country faced a surge of more than 400,000 illegal border crossings within two months. In response, the government implemented border fences and legal restrictions to halt the flow. Officials credited these measures with preventing the emergence of terrorist threats, no-go zones, and the overburdening of public services. In a national referendum in 2016, 98 percent of those who voted rejected the proposal to allow the European Union to mandate the obligatory resettlement of non-Hungarian citizens into Hungary without parliamentary approval. The referendum had a 44 percent turnout, under the 50 percent threshold required to be considered valid. Click here to read more Also read: Ukraine Funds Left-Wing Smear Campaign to Oust Hungary's Orbán
Daily Tribune
3 days ago
- Daily Tribune
EU, Britain strike deal on Gibraltar's post-Brexit status
The European Union and Britain yesterday sealed a 'historic' deal on the status of the territory of Gibraltar, five years after Brexit. The deal will ease the flow of people and goods over the Gibraltar-Spain border, forming part of London's much-vaunted 'reset' in ties with Brussels. When Britain left the EU in 2020, the relationship between Gibraltar -- historically an important military base for Britain due to its position at the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea -- and the bloc remained unresolved. Talks between London, Madrid, Brussels and Gibraltar on a deal had made halting progress during several rounds of negotiations under Britain's previous Conservative government, but the arrival of Labour last summer gave new impetus. EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic said it was 'a truly historic milestone for the European Union, including Spain, as well as for the United Kingdom and Gibraltar'. 'This agreement benefits everyone and will bring legal certainty and confidence to the people and businesses across the region,' he said during a news conference in Brussels. He said he was 'absolutely convinced' it would be ratified by the parties because 'it's a good agreement'. In a statement, the four parties said the agreement would create a fluid border between Gibraltar and Spain, with no physical barriers or checks between the territory and the border town of La Linea.
Gulf Insider
6 days ago
- Gulf Insider
Iran Extends Ban on Dog-walking for ‘public Order
Iranian authorities have expanded a ban on walking dogs in public to many cities nationwide, citing public health, social order and safety concerns, domestic media have reported. The ban, which echoes a 2019 police directive that barred walking dogs in Tehran, was expanded to Ilam city in the west on Sunday, according to reports. At least 17 other cities have introduced similar bans in recent days, including Isfahan in the centre and Kerman in the south. Owning and walking dogs has been a contentious subject since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, though there is no law banning dog ownership outright. Many religious scholars, however, consider petting dogs or coming into contact with their saliva as najis , or ritually impure, while some officials view pet dogs as a symbol of western cultural influence. Local authorities have periodically introduced bans on walking dogs in public spaces or carrying them in vehicles as part of a wider campaign to discourage their ownership. Enforcing the restrictions has been inconsistent, as many owners continue to walk their dogs in Tehran and elsewhere across Iran. On Sunday, the reformist Etemad newspaper quoted an official from Ilam city as saying 'legal action will be taken against violators', without elaborating. On Saturday, the state newspaper Iran said the latest measures were aimed at 'maintaining public order, ensuring safety and protecting public health'. Abbas Najafi, the prosecutor of the western city of Hamedan, was quoted by the Iran newspaper, as saying: 'Dog walking is a threat to public health, peace and comfort.' In 2021, 75 lawmakers condemned pet ownership as a 'destructive social problem', saying it could 'gradually change the Iranian and Islamic way of life'. In 2017, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said: 'Keeping dogs for reasons other than herding, hunting and guard dogs is considered reprehensible.' According to Tasnim news agency, Khamenei added: 'If this practice resembles that of non-Muslims, promotes their culture or causes harm and disturbance to neighbours, it is deemed forbidden.' Also read: Iran Furious At 'Racist' US Travel Ban Targeting Muslim Nations
