It said the EC had criticised several aspects of the regulations, namely the operation of the transit zones and the fence installed along Hungary’s southern border.

The Hungarian government’s most important condition is that the transit zones are kept in place, the centre said.

If the EC opens a legal case against Hungary over the matter, the government is prepared to fight it, they said.

In response to the concerns brought up by the EC, the government showed openness to making an exception with the placement of migrants between the age of 14 and 18 as it does with those below the age of 14 by placing them in guarded youth camps within the country, rather than in the transit zones, until their asylum applications are ruled on, they said.

The condition of this offer would be that the migrants would have to submit to a DNA test to determine their age, the centre added.

The Government Information Centre said the EC had found this concession insufficient, adding that the body’s problem was with the existence of the transit zones.

The government, however, “intends to keep the transit zones in place under all circumstances”, they said, arguing that together with the border fence, the zones guarantee the security of the Hungarian people and Europe as a whole.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.

MTI photo