Brussels mayor vows to block migrant buses if Hungary follows up on threats
Philippe Close tells Euronews that Brussels will not be 'held hostage' by Viktor Orbán’s government.
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00:00The city of Brussels won't take the migrants that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban threatens to send there by bus.
00:09Mayor Philippe Clos made it clear during an interview with Euronews that his city won't be a hostage of Hungarian government.
00:18These buses won't leave Budapest. It's a provocation, but we have to be clear, they will have to pass through other European borders.
00:29Our German colleagues and us, I had the Belgian Prime Minister online, we will block these buses if they leave.
00:35But we feel the provocation, that's not how we do politics.
00:38Orban's plan is an answer to a 200 million euro fine imposed in June by the European Court of Justice to his country for not respecting EU asylum law.
00:48Migrants will be offered a free one-way trip to Brussels based on their voluntary decision, said the Hungarian government.
00:56The European Commission said that Orban's strategy is simply unacceptable and is in contact with countries on the transit route to ensure that the buses are blocked if they would really start the journey.
01:09Also, Brussels' mayor strongly criticizes Orban's move, even questioning Hungary's right to preside at the Council of the EU.
01:18That's not how we build the EU. What worries me is that they preside over the EU, and I think they don't have the capacity to do so.
01:26Maybe it's time to think about whether Hungary has the capacity to preside over the EU. I don't think so.
01:32According to EU law, migrants entering the Hungarian borders have the right to claim for asylum in Hungary as a first arrival country.