EU court adviser says Hungary hasn’t met ‘obligations on asylum procedures’

An adviser at the Court of Justice of the EU claimed on Thursday that Hungary has failed to fulfill its obligations under EU law regarding its asylum procedures and the repatriation of illegal migrants.

The European Commission had sued Hungary, arguing that it unlawfully detained applicants for international protection in transit zones and unlawfully removed foreign citizens staying in the country illegally. Advocate General Priit Pikamae wrote in a non-binding opinion, that the court should uphold the Commission’s action seeking a declaration that Hungary’s legislation in this field was contrary to EU law.

EU judges, whose verdicts EU countries are obliged to respect, normally follow guidance given by the court’s advocate generals, Reuters said. They typically rule within two to four months of that opinion.

In late May, Hungary said it was scrapping transit zones after the EU’s top court ruled that the country had been illegally detaining asylum-seekers. PM Viktor Orban’s chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas, said Budapest “disagrees with the ruling, we consider it a risk with regard to European security, but as an EU member state, we will adhere to all court rulings.”