Hungary’s Threat to Ship Migrants to Brussels Causes Uproar

Hungary’s bold threat to send a convoy of buses packed with migrants to Brussels, a direct protest against European Union policies, has sparked outrage and could lead to swift EU retaliation, the bloc’s executive branch warned this week.

Last week, Hungary’s anti-immigrant government said it planned to offer migrants a free, one-way ticket to Brussels — a provocative move aimed at pressuring the European Commission into lifting hefty fines over the country’s restrictive asylum policies.

Budapest's threat follows the European Court of Justice’s (ECJ) decision to slap Hungary with a EUR 200 million fine, a penalty the government has stubbornly refused to pay. The ECJ's ruling in June declared Hungary guilty of an "unprecedented and exceptionally serious breach of EU law" due to its tough stance on asylum seekers. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán reacted with fury, branding the court's decision "outrageous and unacceptable."

"In terms of the announcements made by the Hungarian authorities that they would transport irregular migrants from the Hungarian Serbian borders to Brussels, in one word, basically, it is unacceptable," commission spokeswoman Anitta Hipper said.

Though no transfer has taken place yet, and it's unclear when or if it will, the EU is taking the threat seriously. Hipper warned that the move would not only violate EU law but also undermine the principles of "sincere and loyal cooperation" as well as "mutual trust."

The Commission is already in talks with Budapest, urging the government to back down from its plans. They're also coordinating with Hungary's neighbors, who could be affected if the migrant buses do roll out.

"We are also standing ready to use all our powers under the treaty to ensure that the EU law is respected," the official added.

The Commission has the power to propose temporary restrictions under the Schengen Borders Code, which could result in tightened controls across the passport-free zone. Member states could also act independently, as Germany did after a knife attack in Solingen last month.

The Commission’s stern warning follows a wave of criticism from Belgian officials. On Monday, Belgium’s authorities condemned Hungary's actions as pure "provocation" and urged the EU to respond "strongly and decisively." Belgium's State Secretary for Asylum and Migration, Nicole de Moor, made it clear: if Hungary follows through on its threat, "we will not allow migration flows to be used as a political tool."