Orbán Alleges EU Court Controlled by Soros Following Migrant Ruling

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has accused American billionaire George Soros of exerting control over the European Court of Justice (ECJ).

This accusation came in response to the court’s decision to fine Hungary for failing to adhere to EU migrant reception regulations.

In a traditional Friday interview with state radio, Orbán, cited by Telex, expressed his discontent with the recent court ruling.

He claimed, “the verdict was issued by George Soros’s court.” This follows the ECJ’s order for Hungary to pay a fine of €200 million plus €1 million for each day of delay in complying with the court’s decision.

“Soros has a plan, he announced it, he never hid it, he wrote it himself,” Orbán stated, referencing the financier’s public stance on migration and open societies.

Discussing the broader context of EU relations, Orbán highlighted an ongoing “old war” between Brussels and Hungary.

He asserted that the EU’s stance on migration is to “let them (migrants) in,” while he maintains that “Hungarians should have a say in who we live with.”

Orbán indicated that he is exploring ways to make the situation “more painful for them than for us.”

Orbán also criticised the substantial financial penalty, describing it as “an enormous sum” and suggesting that the funds could be better utilised to support families or pensioners in Hungary.

However, he lamented that he is unable to allocate the money in this way “because of Brussels.”

The ECJ’s ruling on 13 June relates to a previous decision from December 2020, which found that Hungary was not complying with EU procedures for international protection and the return of third-country nationals illegally residing in the EU.

The latest ruling determined that Hungary had failed to take sufficient measures to address the 2020 decision’s directives in three key areas: access to international protection procedures for asylum seekers, the right to remain in the country until a final decision on their application, and the return of individuals residing illegally.

In 2023, the ECJ also found Hungary in violation of EU law for requiring asylum seekers to submit their applications through embassies in Serbia or Ukraine. This requirement was deemed incompatible with EU standards for asylum procedures.

Orbán’s statements and the subsequent controversy underscore the ongoing tensions between Hungary and the EU over migration policies and judicial rulings.

The Hungarian government’s stance continues to challenge the EU’s efforts to enforce uniform standards for member states, highlighting the broader political and ideological divides within the union.

Image: AI generated

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