Hungarian-Ukrainian border: more and more people are coming

Already, more than a hundred thousand people have crossed the Hungarian-Ukrainian border. In addition to the NGOs that moved to the other side of the frontier, other individuals and entities came to help as well. In Beregsurány, in contrast to the first days, refugees are no longer received directly in tents set up at the border, but a little further away, in the community house of Beregsurány.

Community house operating as the new centre 

The charity service moved further in from the border and set up a larger reception center equipped with a help desk. There is also a registration point with PCR testing and photography services in Tarpa, the neighboring village.

The reason behind the removal of tents from the border and the relocation of the zone was mainly the unmanageable traffic. Each day, hundreds of cars come to pick up relatives and acquaintances arriving at the border zone, and hence the area becomes often overcrowded with refugee families.

The refugees can stay up to 3 days in the community house of Beregsurány

The venue consists of several parts. The theater building functions as a short-term reception area. Refugees spend a maximum of half a day here, typically those whose papers are in order and have a plan where to go next. Next to the reception place is another room where the staff of the municipality receives and handles the incoming donations, food and clothes. Opposite the community house, a few containers have been set up for those who leave the center within an hour or two. Finally, there is a school building where refugees can stay in the gym for up to three days: they get full board and mattresses to sleep on.

NGOs try to help those who have no place to go

According to a Telex article, many who have just fled Ukraine have no idea how to proceed. They can receive shelter and food for 2-3 days. If they are undecided about their next step, the NGOs will give them guidance and even help them for weeks or months by placing them in another location.

• Read also: This is how Hungary helps Ukrainian refugees

More people are expected to arrive

The staff of the Maltese Charity Service is also present on the Ukrainian side of the border, where they help people waiting in line to cross the border, or welcome those who arrived from the center of Ukraine, the war zone, to the yet calmer western region.

Most people working at the Ukrainian border in Beregsurány said that the events we witness now are just the beginning. Therefore, it was necessary to improve the logistics of the system as many more refugees are expected to arrive in the next period.

Not only Ukrainians flee

Naturally, not only Ukrainians come to Hungary, but there are also large groups arriving from Nigeria, Ghana, and India, and many other countries as well. Almost 100% of them are foreign students studying in Ukraine, mainly from Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Lviv. Their universities suggested to the frightened students that they leave the country temporarily. Most of them are trying to get to Budapest and fly home from there. There have been many Air India flights set up to take people home, especially Indian students who fled from Ukraine.

The refugees are transported from the Ukrainian border in two directions by bus: either to the city of Nyíregyháza in Eastern Hungary or directly to Budapest.

Read also: Foreign Minister: Hungary provides humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees

Source: telex.hu