Hungary was fined EUR 200 million plus EUR 1 million per day for not allowing illegal immigrants into the country

Omissions

• The fine was imposed on June 13, 2024, for Hungary's failure to comply with a 2020 Court judgment (Case C-808/18) regarding violations of EU asylum law procedures, specifically forcing asylum seekers to travel to Belgrade to apply for protection, rather than simply for 'not allowing illegal immigrants into Hungary' as characterized by the speaker.
• The political framing simplifies the legal basis of the fine; the Court found Hungary violated specific EU asylum procedures and the rights of asylum seekers, not that Hungary was fined for refusing entry to illegal immigrants per se.

Sources

• PrimaryCourt of Justice of the European Union (CURIA)Hungary is ordered to pay a lump sum of 200 million euros and a penalty payment of 1 million euros per day for failure to comply with the Court's judgment of 17 December 2020 (Case C-808/18) regarding EU asylum law obligations.
• SecondaryPOLITICO EuropeThe European Court of Justice fined Hungary €200 million for breaking the EU's asylum laws and ignoring an earlier judgment, plus a daily penalty of €1 million.
• SecondaryBBC NewsThe European Court of Justice ruled Hungary must pay €200 million and a daily penalty of €1 million for being in breach of a 2020 judgment that it violated EU asylum laws by forcing asylum seekers to travel to Serbia to apply for protection.