EC opens infringement procedure against Hungary over asylum law
Brussels, December 10 (MTI) – The European Commission is opening an infringement procedure against Hungary concerning the country’s asylum law, it was announced at an EC press conference on Thursday.
The commission said Hungary is not allowing full and proper appeal processes for asylum seekers. Normally a decision to reject asylum is automatically suspended if an appeal is made and new facts and circumstances can be admitted. But Hungary is forcing applicants to leave its territory before the time limit for lodging an appeal expires or before an appeal has been heard, the commission said.
The commission also raised concerns about Hungary’s handling of asylum seekers regarding their rights to translation and interpretation, saying the Hungarian law on fast-tracked criminal proceedings for irregular border crossings disregards European rules on the right to interpretation and translation in criminal proceedings.
A third concern was that Hungary’s law on the judicial review of decisions rejecting asylum applications does not guarantee personal hearings for applicants.
The commission said in a statement that it has sent a letter of formal notice to Hungary about opening the infringement procedure concerning the recently adopted Hungarian asylum legislation
The commission had already examined the legislative amendments adopted by the Hungarian parliament in July and September 2015 and sent an administrative letter outlining preliminary concerns to the Hungarian authorities.
The Hungarian authorities now have two months to respond to the arguments put forward by the commission in its formal notice. If no reply to the letter of formal notice is received, or if the observations presented by Hungary in reply to the notice cannot be considered satisfactory, the commission may decide to move to the next stage of the infringement procedure, and send a “reasoned opinion” to Hungary. If necessary, the commission may then refer the case to the Court of Justice of the EU, the statement added.
In a statement, MEPs of Hungary’s ruling Fidesz-Christian Democratic parties insisted that the rules the European Commission are “trying to force upon Hungary” are not “realistic”.
Whereas Hungary introduced timely and efficient measures to stop the wave of illegal entrants, the commission is trying to make Hungary and other member states enforce rules which would only slow down procedures, the document said.
“People smugglers, illegal immigrants, and possible terrorists among them have purposely abused the loopholes in European law. Unless they are turned back firmly and fast, Europe will take further risks, while providing aid to real refugees will become impossible,” signatories to the statement wrote.
Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters
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3 Comments
I salute the Government of Hungary and Victor Orban to take a stand against interference by a section of a UNELECTED body who is attempting to unjustly interfere with a ELECTED govs. attemps to protect its Country and its people from more actions by the said body. ENOUGH is ENOUGH!!!!!!!. I am a Brit, But a HUN. by birth, EU at al mind your own business!!!!!!!!.
I agree totally with the above. I am a Brit resident in Hungary and am disgusted by the fact they seem to think as Hungary is a small nation it can be bullied. They should think again.
I agree with you British expat. I too am a Brit resident in Hungary, married here and settled. I remember the days when the EU was first set up with the first five countries. The intensions and aims were good, but over the years things have changed. The EU has become a Union of Liberals and Socialists, who undermine the fact that individual countries have their own rights and ways of living. Over the years, the EU have made laws that undermine the laws of individual countries. The way the EU treats newer, smaller countries, like Hungary, yes, is distgusting. The problem, as I see it, is, the EU know that Hungary has got it right, and that Orbán Victor is the only PM in Europe who knows what he is doing. Over a year ago, he told the member states what is happening and what the future lies fo Europe, refering to this mass migration, but no-one has taken a blind bit of notice of him. On top of this, The Hungarian government has stuck to every conceiveable regulation that the EU has laid down, even down to the protection of the Schengen borders, by building a southern border fence. Also, everything the Lefties parties in Hungary, say or do, is against the FIDESZ ruling party, because they cannot accept that they have lost five elections in as many years, and are still hoping for a reinstatement into power. Unfortunately, the Hungarian Socialists work hand in hand with the EU, who are, in majorty, Liberals and Socialists. Their views on this migrant situation, is in keeping with the EU and the Human Rights, because it helps certain corrupt members of the EU commission to make ruthfull decisions against Hungary. The EU needs to decommission itself, get rid of all the politics, and start afresh in a nutral vain, the same as it was in the begining. As for the migration in Hungary, Orbán Viktor has done the right thing. He loves his country and tries desperately to defend and help the people that live here. I believe Hungary has enough on it’s plate looking after it’s own people, and roughly a million Roma, let alone migrants that have already made a place in this, our country. I look up to Orbán Viktor, and I will stand by him always. After all the depression Hungary has gone through over the past 1200 years, the Hungarian people need a lot lot more, and I believe they have the right Prime Minister for the job. KEEP STRONG HUNGARY. Write regularly and express your views and feelings about your country, and try to stop these European Power Freaks and the Socialists from bringing this, our country to ruination, just like Gyucsány nearly did up to 2010.