Hungary launches campaigns abroad against illegal migration

Budapest, September 2 (MTI) – The Hungarian government is launching an information campaign in several countries to combat illegal immigration, the Prime Minister’s Office told MTI on Wednesday.

The campaign carried out by the international advertising agency J. Walter Thompson, will involve announcements in local languages placed in leading newspapers in migrants’ countries of origin and also in transit countries most associated with illegal migration. The information campaign will also feature billboards, flyers and a multilingual online platform, the office said in a statement.

The announcements are aimed to draw attention to the legislative changes tabled for adoption in Hungary in connection with fighting illegal immigration. They will also emphasise that Hungary stays in compliance with international and EU laws and humanitarian norms and will deal with refugees who enter the country legally in an equitable way. However, the government will strike down with full force of the law on all migrants who enter illegally, the statement said.

With the campaign the government intends to send a clear message which is hoped to serve as a deterrent to criminal groups who facilitate illegal migration and make a profit from smuggling, it added.

Earlier this year similar campaigns targeting Kosovo were launched by Austria and Germany, the office said. As a result of the German campaign, the number of applications from Kosovo has decreased considerably in that country, and the Hungarian government hopes to achieve similar results with its campaign in Hungary, the statement said.

Photo: MTI

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