Belgium Condemns Hungary's Migrant Bus Convoy Threat

Belgium's migration minister criticized Hungary's plan to send migrants to Brussels in protest of EU fines over asylum policies. The European Court fined Hungary €200 million for violating asylum rules. Belgium emphasized solidarity and warned that migrants would be denied access at the border.

Belgium's top migration official, Nicole de Moor, has sharply criticized Hungary for its threat to dispatch a bus convoy of migrants to Brussels. This move is seen as retaliation against EU policies and aims to pressure the European Commission into dropping substantial fines against Hungary for its restrictive asylum policies.

On Friday, Hungary indicated it was serious about providing asylum-seekers with free one-way travel to Brussels. This plan aims to challenge the fines imposed by the European Court of Justice, which last June penalized Hungary 200 million euros for persistent non-compliance with EU asylum rules.

Belgium has declared that it will block any such convoy at its borders, emphasizing that Hungary's actions would undermine EU solidarity and breach international agreements. De Moor has prompted Belgium's EU ambassador to address the issue with Hungary and called on the European Commission to take a firm stance.

(With inputs from agencies.)