Orbán: "Paying a fine of 1 million euros per day is better than letting in migrants"

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has once again demonstrated his firm stance against the European Union's migration policy. He said that official Budapest is ready to pay the European Union hundreds of thousands of euros in fines every day rather than let illegal immigrants into the country. He called it "the best investment for the future."

"Brussels is threatening us, blackmailing us. We are under sanctions. Because Hungary refuses to accept illegal immigrants. Now we have to pay the European Union 1 million euros every day. This is a huge amount, but we prefer to pay this fine than let in just one immigrant," Viktor Orban said in his speech.

In his opinion, the current migration policy of the European Union threatens the roots of European culture. Orban called this process "artificial population replacement" and "the destruction of Europe's historical values."

The European Court of Justice ruled in June 2024 that Hungary must pay a fine of 200 million euros, plus a daily fine of 1 million euros until the violations are corrected.

While the European Union considers migration policy to be common and binding for all member states, Hungary has a different approach to this policy. According to Viktor Orbán, his government puts the security and national interests of its people first.

“We decide for ourselves who can live in our country and who cannot. Brussels tells us to adopt laws in a mandatory manner, but Hungary has chosen its own path,” Orbán said.

Experts say that this conflict could further strain relations between the EU and Hungary. At the same time, Orbán's radical position is seen as a model for a number of political forces in Europe.

Meanwhile, Orbán's firm stance in Hungarian domestic politics has ensured him broad popular support. According to polls, a large part of the country's population agrees with the government's tough policy on migration.

The European Union, for its part, is once again emphasizing that all member states must adhere to human rights and international norms. However, it seems that this dispute between Brussels and Budapest will be difficult to resolve in the near future. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!