Hungarian authorities are ensuring the safety of the season’s festivities

György Bakondi, Chief Security Advisor to the Prime Minister, has said that Hungarian authorities will do everything possible to ensure public safety: the police, the Counter Terrorism Centre and the Hungarian Defence Forces are using covert and visible measures to guarantee the security of Christmas markets and other events.

Mr. Bakondi said that Hungary’s stable internal security situation enables it to wish Hungarian families a peaceful and happy festive season. On behalf of the Government he thanked law enforcement officers for helping to preserve Hungary’s sovereignty and security.

He added that recently, however, Europe’s security situation has deteriorated, mainly due to dangerous individuals arriving with the migration wave, radicalised groups of Muslim youths and combat-trained ISIS fighters returning to the continent.

Mr. Bakondi also said that it is regrettable that EU leaders do not share the Government’s position, which is that problems should be handled in the areas from which migrants set off.

He said that

since the 2015 migration wave – which was followed by 27 major terrorist attacks resulting in 330 deaths and 1,300 people injured – the notion of a peaceful Christmas has come under threat.