EU court orders Hungary to pay 200-mln-euro fine over migrant policy

Hungary will have to pay a 200 million euro ($216 million) fine for not implementing changes in its policy of handling migrants and asylum seekers at its border, the EU’s top court said on Thursday.
Budapest, which has previously refused to carry out the 2020 court ruling, will also be required to pay a daily fine of one million euros ($1.08 million) until it fully implments the measures.
In its verdict, the European Court of Justice said Hungary had failed to take measures “to comply with the 2020 judgment as regards the right of applicants for international protection to remain in Hungary pending a final decision on their appeal against the rejection of their application and the removal of illegally staying third-country nationals”.
The government has previously argued that the 2020 ruling was moot as it had already closed so-called “transit-zones” while also hardening rules to bar future asylum applicants.