• Home
• Channel: Current Affairs
• Hungary Slams 'Disrespectful' Offer From European Commission About Border Fence

Hungary Slams 'Disrespectful' Offer From European Commission About Border Fence

• 27 Aug 2019 7:59 AM
• Hungary Matters

Government spokesman István Hollik (on top left) has slammed what he called a "disrespectful" offer on the European Commission's part to reimburse "barely more than one percent" of Hungary's spending on border protection.

“After two years of stalling, the commission has responded to the Hungarian government’s request and has only promised to reimburse 6.6 billion forints (EUR 20.0m),” Hollik said, noting that in 2017, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had turned to then-EC President Jean-Claude Juncker asking his commission to cover half of the costs of Hungary’s border fence and border protection measures “in the spirit of solidarity”.

The government has spent a total of 504 billion forints on border protection since the erection of the fence on the southern border in 2015, Hollik said. He accused the “pro-migration Brussels leadership” of having done “everything it could to stall for time” so that it could avoid having to contribute to financing the costs of Hungary’s border control measures.

“Their aim was to legalise migration and bring more and more migrants to Europe,” he insisted. The outgoing commission has now decided to reimburse 20 million euros to Hungary, Hollik said, adding, however, that this would only cover this year’s pay for the officers patrolling the Hungarian-Serbian border section.

MTI Photo: Máthé Zoltán

• How does this content make you feel?
• I love it
• I like it
• I dislike it

• István Hollik Border Protection European Commission

XpatLoop Media Partner

Hungary Matters

Launched in January 2014, this newsletter published on week days covers 'everything you need to know about what’s going on in Hungary and beyond', according to its publisher the state media agency MTI.

Explore More Reports

Hungary Vetoes EU Higher Education Strategy

• 28 Nov 2025 8:07 AM

Hungary has vetoed the European Union's four-year higher education strategy, Balazs Hanko, the minister of culture and innovation, said in Brussels on Thursday, adding that Hungary made clear that only once Hungarian students are restored their rightful access to the Erasmus programme will Hungary approve the higher education strategy.



EC Still Shares Concerns that Triggered Article 7 Procedure Against Hungary, Says EU Commissioner

• 25 Nov 2025 7:20 AM

The European Commission continues to share many of the concerns expressed by the European Parliament in its 2018 reasoned proposal triggering the Article 7 procedure against Hungary, the European Commissioner for democracy, justice and the rule of law said in Strasbourg.



Orbán: Budapest Peace Summit on the Horizon

• 24 Nov 2025 7:07 AM

Hungary's prime minister has said that a Budapest peace summit was on the horizon and the next 2-3 weeks would now prove "decisive", now that the existence of the 28-point peace plan had been confirmed.



Updated: Why Budapest for US + Russia Peace Summit?

• 23 Oct 2025 6:59 AM

The United States has not cancelled the peace summit with Russia planned for Budapest, the timing alone is questionable, but preparations against fake news are still underway, said Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, following his meeting with his American counterpart in Washington on Wednesday 22 October.