FM Szijjártó: evacuation from Ukraine ‘impossible’

The Hungarian-Ukrainian border stations of Lónya-Dzvinkove (Harangláb) and Barabás-Kosyny (Kaszony) have extended their opening hours until 11pm, Hungarian police said on Thursday evening. Up until Feb. 28 both crossings will be open from 7am to 11pm, they said.

Police said that drivers heading for Hungary have to wait for at least an hour to cross the border. The measures have been taken in light of extra traffic at the border in connection with the Ukraine crisis.

All staff of Hungary’s embassy in Kyiv are working to ensure that everyone seeking assistance is provided it, the foreign minister said on Thursday, but “evacuating people [from the country] is basically impossible”. Péter Szijjártó said in a video posted on Facebook that Ukraine’s entire airspace was closed with a ban on civil aviation, while evacuation by road was also impossible.

Four Hungarian Wizz Air aircraft with their crews are stuck in Ukraine, Szijjártó said, adding there were no Hungarians among the crew.

• Read also: Hungarian troops continuously arriving in East Hungary

The Hungarian embassy received 60 calls “when telecommunications services were functioning and staff members were not in the basement”, the minister said, adding that the embassy would shelter Hungarians seeking security.

He asked Hungarians to call the consular service’s 24-hour hotline, which is operating with extra staff. On Thursday, the consular service received 80 calls, he said. So far, 191 Hungarians in Ukraine and 154 in Russia have applied for consular protection, he said, adding that the staff were in contact with them.

Transcarpathia has switched to military administration,

• Szijjártó said.

Concerning lorry drivers in transit, the minister said the government was doing everything to ensure that they continue their journey or find safe haven. The government is watching developments closely and will take every measure “to protect Hungary and the Hungarian people from this war”, he said.

“Hungary stands by Ukraine and by Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, and condemns Russia’s military action,”

he said. The government “will do everything to prevent Hungary possibly getting mixed up in the conflict of war,” he added.

Read also Ukrainian refugees crossing Hungarian border on foot!

Source: MTI