BUDAPEST, Sept 12 (Askume) – Hungary is set to sue the European Commission to make it pay the cost of protecting the bloc’s external borders, a move Budapest said went too far and cost it about 2 billion euros, its chief of staff said.
In 2015, the nationalist Orban closed a key transit route through Hungary to help millions of refugees fleeing war and poverty , winning him support at home but also facing opposition from many EU allies.
“We are ready to sue the European Commission because the European Commission has partially or fully reimbursed other member states for the costs incurred in securing the Schengen border,” Gulyas said at a press conference on Thursday.
“Hungary has spent 2 billion euros securing the Schengen border over the past few years, but the EU has made no meaningful contribution.”
Orban appeared to ease his stance after Germany on Monday announced plans to impose tougher checks at all its land borders , which he said was aimed at tackling irregular migration.
In contrast to Berlin’s previous open-door policy, controls on the wider free movement zone – Europe’s Schengen area – will begin on September 16 and initially last for six months.
“We can see changes happening in Europe,” Gulyas said. “In 2015, Hungary’s prime minister was the first to make it clear that unless the EU implements community law and the Schengen agreement… Schengen will collapse.”
Gulyas said Berlin’s decision to introduce border controls from Monday meant Germany was destroying areas of free movement within the EU.
“It destroyed the EU, first by not allowing member states to effectively protect their external borders and now by imposing internal border controls.”
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