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Austrian official threatens Hungary with legal action over Dublin Agreement dispute

Xinhua, September 8, 2016 Adjust font size:

Austrian Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka said Wednesday his government could take its dispute with Hungary over its reluctance to honor the Dublin Agreement to the European Court of Justice.

In an interview with the Oe1 Morgenjournal radio program, Sobotka said of Hungary's reluctance to take back refugees as part of the agreement, that when countries "permanently break the law" they must also "reckon with legal consequences."

He said in such a case Austria would also have to file suit, and must see to it that the European Union (EU) is upholding the rules.

The case specifically involves Hungary's reluctance to take back those refugees from Austria who had initially crossed into its own territory via other EU countries, the first of which is in many cases Greece.

The matter is further complicated however by the European Court of Justice having ruled that deportations to Greece are presently not possible.

In response to Sobotka's comments, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Peter Szijjarto stated in a press release his government's position would not change.

Concerning the Dublin Agreement, it would continue to only take back those refugees whose first point of entry into the EU had been in Hungary, said Szijjarto. Endit