The European Union’s highest court has imposed a fine of 200 million euros ($216 million) on Hungary and a daily penalty of one million euros ($1.08 million) for not adhering to the bloc’s asylum regulations and for the unlawful deportation of migrants.

The Hungarian government, known for its anti-immigration stance, has implemented stringent measures since over a million refugees and asylum seekers arrived in Europe in 2015, predominantly escaping the conflict in Syria. Hungary constructed border barriers and aggressively attempted to curb entry.

In a ruling handed down on Thursday, the European Court of Justice stated that Hungary had not taken the necessary actions “to comply with the 2020 judgment regarding the right of individuals seeking international protection to remain in Hungary until a final decision on their appeal against an application denial and the expulsion of unlawfully present third-country nationals.”

“This failure, representing a deliberate avoidance of a unified EU policy, constitutes an extraordinary and severe breach of EU law,” the ruling emphasized.

A Hungarian government representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling.

Previously, the government argued that the 2020 verdict was irrelevant as it had already shut down “transit zones” and had tightened regulations to prevent future asylum applications.

Under current Hungarian legislation, individuals can only submit asylum requests outside the national borders, specifically at its embassies in neighboring Serbia or Ukraine. Those attempting to cross the border are frequently repelled.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban has often been at odds with Brussels on various matters, including judicial independence and sending military aid to Ukraine. In 2021, he vowed to “maintain the current asylum seeker regime even if the European court mandates a change.”

The European Commission filed another application to the court in early 2022, asserting that Hungary had not fully complied with the 2020 judgement.

EU regulations require that all member states have standardized procedures for granting asylum.

According to EU guidelines, individuals have the right to seek asylum or other forms of international protection if they fear for their safety in their home countries or risk persecution due to their race, religion, ethnicity, gender, or other forms of discrimination.