Hungary broke EU law on migrant treatment – EU top court’s advocate general

Hungary broke European Union law in 2018 in its treatment and processing of migrants, the European Court of Justice’s Advocate General said in an opinion on Thursday.

“By imposing criminal penalties on organising activities intended to enable persons to initiate the international protection procedure who do not fulfill the national criteria for the grant of that protection, Hungary has failed to fulfil its obligations under EU law,” the Advocate General said.

“The criminalisation of those activities impinges on the exercise of the rights guaranteed by the EU legislature concerning assistance for applicants for international protection,” the statement said.

The EU’s top court usually, though not always, follows the opinion of the advocate general in its rulings.

Main Photo: The sign of the Court of Justice of the European Union at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg. EPA-EFE/JULIEN WARNAND