Hungary plans to send busloads of migrants to Brussels

A Hungarian provocation against the European Union has included a threat to send busloads of immigrants to the Belgian capital.

Budapest, which regularly clashes with the European institutions on the issue of migration, said it wanted to offer “illegal migrants” a free bus ride to Brussels.

Outgoing Belgian secretary of state for asylum and migration Nicole de Moor (CD&V) said the threat “shows a lack of respect for the European institutions and common policies”.

“The unilateral postponement of responsibility by threats of this type undermines solidarity and cooperation within the Union,” de Moor said, emphasising her “strong disapproval” of the Hungarian statements.

De Moor said she asked Belgium's representative to the EU to discuss the matter with their Hungarian counterpart, hoping the European Commission will react “firmly and decisively”.

Hungarian secretary of state Bence Rétvári held a press conference last week in Budapest, relayed by Euronews, at which he can be seen posing in front of a row of buses belonging to the state-owned company Volánbusz, displaying Brussels as their destination.

According to the rhetoric of Viktor Orban's government, which is openly anti-immigration, the EU wants to “force” the country to accept “illegal” migrants.

“If Brussels wants illegal migrants, it can have them,” said Hungary’s secretary of state, promising that the country's government is entirely serious about offering migrants a free bus ride to the Belgian capital.