The Dublin III regulation stipulates that if “illegal immigrants” are found within the European Union, they can be returned to the country through which they entered the EU.

Responding to a question posed by the opposition concerning the expected number of migrants to be returned to Hungary, Pintér said that 19,284 requests had been submitted to Hungaryʼs immigration authority.

The minister added that 66,788 people have applied for political asylum since the beginning of the year and 43,000 of these requests were terminated, because the applicants had since left the country.

According to MTI, the interior minister also said that the figures suggested that migrants filed similar applications in another country, and could be returned to Hungary under the Dublin III regulation.

By July 16, some 780 migrants had been returned to Hungary by European Union member states, including 766 whose procedures had started out of country.

Earlier reports alleged that Hungary had suspended the Dublin III regulation and would not take migrants back, however, the government later said that the country did not suspend the regulation, it simply asked EU members for “some patience” before they begin sending them back.