Socialists call for strengthening security services, border police overhaul

Budapest, February 2 (MTI) – The opposition Socialist Party on Tuesday called for Hungary’s police and national security services to be strengthened and the border police force reorganised with a view to boosting security.

Tamás Harangozó, the party’s deputy parliamentary group leader, said that the ruling Fidesz party’s proposed constitutional amendments to include a “state of terrorist threat” among instances that mandate the domestic deployment of the armed forces would not be up to the task of managing terrorist threats, and the police forces and national security services should be strengthened both financially and through staff increases instead.

He added that the government should also strengthen the border police force, “clarify the legal status” of the TEK counter-terrorism force and boost public security. The deputy group leader proposed that the border police force should be reorganised and divided up with each division being assigned a specific border section.

He said it was “cynical” of the government to reduce the budget of TEK and the police force while “continuing to talk about migration pressure”. Harangozo noted that parliament rejected his party’s earlier proposal to amend the penal code to criminalise joining or financing terrorist groups and participation in terrorist propaganda. Lawmakers also rejected the party’s proposal to expand the size of the Hungarian army, he said, noting that it currently faces a shortage of 5,500 soldiers. He said the party would resubmit both proposals to parliament.

The government should also make the necessary adjustments to the health-care system to be prepared to manage terrorist threats and employees of private security firms should also be trained to help manage such threats, he said.

Ruling Fidesz accused the Socialists of attempting to block any government measure aimed at protecting the Hungarian public. “They withheld their support for building the fence at the country’s border and tightening asylum rules,” the party said in a statement. The Socialists did not support sending police and army units to protect the border, either, it said.

Photo: MTI

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters