Thousands of Ukrainian refugees face eviction from Hungarian state-funded accommodation in a move by Budapest that human rights activists say could contravene EU law.
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00:00At least 100 Ukrainian refugees from the Transcarpathia region have been evicted in the Hungarian village
00:08of Koch. Two and a half years ago, the Hungarian government provided the emergency housing
00:14for those fleeing the war. But that rule recently changed and now only refugees from parts of
00:21Ukraine deemed to be affected by conflict are eligible for free housing from the Hungarian
00:26state.
00:28We live in a small house. It has been raining for two and a half years. There are storms,
00:35storms. The roof of the house was destroyed by the storm. We often complain about what
00:42is inside the house. And unfortunately, for those who could not come to Hungary, everything
00:52that can be bought or used is used for free.
00:59NGOs like the Hungarian-Helsinki Committee and Migration Aid argue that the decree denying
01:04shelter breaches international treaties on asylum.
01:09The UNHCR wrote in a statement that the Hungarian government should review the decree and provide
01:15the necessary housing for refugees.
01:19Of course, those who could afford it, could afford it in any way. Some went home, some
01:26went to relatives, acquaintances. Of course, those who could pay the rent, could afford
01:33it earlier. So those people who are here, they are really very vulnerable, in a difficult
01:40situation. They simply don't have the money to pay the rent.
01:47NGOs, locals and policing coach were frantically looking for ways to find temporary housing
01:53for the hundreds that were displaced. Thousands of other Ukrainian refugees are facing the
01:59same problem and risk eviction from Hungarian state-funded accommodation.