Hungary – a “safe” Dublin-State?
The current situation of refugees in Hungary is unacceptable and clearly violates the human dignity of the refugees. Hungarian President Viktor Orbán justifies the treatment of refugees with the need to comply with EU law, and Austrian Minister of Interior, Mikl-Leitner, still requests Hungary to act according to the Dublin regulations. This despite the obvious failure of the Dublin system and the question whether Hungary can, under current circumstances, still be seen as a “safe” Dublin State.
Besides the fact that Hungary has the lowest rate of positive asylum decisions in the EU (9% vs. an average of 45% in the EU), a number of recent changes in Hungarian asylum laws suggest that Hungary cannot be considered anymore as a “safe” Dublin-state. (see analysis of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee).
The most recent humanitarian measures of the Austrian government are a necessary reaction to the disastrous situation. However, on the long run – and it is not likely, that migration movements to Europe will stop soon – the protection of refugees must not depend on the political good-will of European governments, but needs a solid legal basis and alternative to the criticized Dublin system.
For more details see the following sources:
Hungarian Helsinki Committee, Building a Legal Fence – Amendments to the Hungarian Asylum Law Seriously Endanger Access to Protection, 7.8.2015, http://helsinki.hu/en/new-asylum-rules-endanger-access-to-protection
Hungarian Helsinki Committee, Facts and Figures on Immigration and Asylum in Hungary, 7.8.2015, http://helsinki.hu/en/facts-figures-on-immigration-and-asylum-in-hungary-7-august-2015/ffaug2015
Amnesty International, Hungary: Change to Asylum Law puts tens of thousands at risk, 30.7.2015, https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2015/07/hungary-change-to-asylum-law-puts-tens-of-thousands-at-risk/
UNHCR, UNHCR urges Hungary not to amend its asylum system in a rush, ignoring international standards, 2.7.2015, http://www.unhcr-centraleurope.org/en/news/2015/unhcr-urges-hungary-not-to-amend-its-asylum-system-in-a-rush-ignoring-international-standards.html
UNHCR, Open letter to the Members of the Hungarian Parliament http://www.unhcr-centraleurope.org/en/news/2015/open-letter-to-the-members-of-the-hungarian-parliament.html 3.7.2015
Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Country Report Hungary, 2014, https://wcd.coe.int/com.instranet.InstraServlet?command=com.instranet.CmdBlobGet&InstranetImage=2688595&SecMode=1&DocId=2218468&Usage=2
Euronews, Hungary’s new asylum law ‘will put thousands of refugees at risk’ 30.7. 2015, http://www.euronews.com/2015/07/30/thousands-in-peril-over-hungarys-new-asylum-crackdown-says-amnesty/
