New Hungarian rules will keep migrants in detention indefinitely

TMP – 23/02/2017

According to Politico, a Brussels-based European affairs newspaper, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has announced new measures to hold migrants in detention shelters for an indefinite period to halt free movement across Europe.

Orbán’s spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs said: “We are going to introduce a new measure — no migrants, not even those who have achieved their request for asylum, can move freely until there is a final, legal decision whether they are entitled to political asylum or having the refugee status. They will not be entitled to move freely in the country.”

The strict policy is Hungary’s reaction to what is deemed the “systematic abuse” of the borderless Schengen zone as thousands of people attempt to pass through the country on their journey to reach Western Europe.

Hungary believes that the only way to restrict the flow of migrants is to stop them reaching Europe or restrict their freedom of movement once they are in Europe. Previously migrants awaiting decisions on their cases were split into two different kinds of camps in Hungary. Some were placed in open camps that allowed them to leave during the day. Others kept in detention centres were limited to a maximum of six months, with a court review every two months to determine if detention was still valid. But under the new rules proposed, all migrants will be kept in camps until their status has been decided, which can take “months”.

Kovacs said that migrants at the moment were getting a ‘free ride’ to cross the Mediterranean as European governments were not prepared to send them back to North Africa. “If you don’t put physical barriers on the borders, human traffickers are going to carry on their business,” he said.

The plan is expected to be criticized by the EU, but Hungary seems set on implementing tighter immigration controls and has said it will press ahead despite any objection.