Hungary Defies EU Migration Pact as Estonia Chooses Financial Support Over Relocations

Binding relocation rules with a payment alternative now draw pledges of non‑compliance alongside planned court challenges.

Overview

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán declared Hungary will not accept relocated migrants under the EU pact and vowed to “rise up” against the scheme.
The head of Orbán’s office, Gergely Gulyás, said Hungary will contest the pact’s provisions at the Court of the European Union if they take effect.
Estonia’s interior minister Igor Taro said the country will refuse relocations but will contribute €280,000 and send teams and equipment of similar value.
Taro noted Estonia’s planned payment was halved because it already hosts a large number of Ukrainian refugees.
The EU migration pact, approved in May 2024, includes a reported €20,000 charge per refused relocation and is scheduled to start in June 2026, with the Commission advising some pressured states to seek exemptions in 2026.