Brussels, 25/09/2015 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission said on Friday 25 September that it would examine carefully reports that Hungary is about to erect a fence along its border with Slovenia, which, like Hungary, is a member of the Schengen free movement area. Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos is in close contact with the leaders of both countries in order to “establish the facts”, said commission spokesperson Daniel Rosario.
Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, speaking on Friday morning, dismissed the reports and gave assurances that he had no intention of building a fence but, rather, of setting up moveable barriers, Euronews reports. The Hungarian government has erected fences along its borders with Serbia, Croatia and Romania but, as these last two countries are not members of the Schengen area, the Commission response was no tougher than to criticise the action taken. Schengen rules allow its member states to defend common borders. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)