Hungary, Turkey to cooperate in security, migration, terrorism

Cooperation between the Hungarian and Turkish interior ministries is boosting public security in both countries, Interior Minister Sándor Pintér said in Ankara on Friday, after meeting Suleyman Soylu, his Turkish counterpart.

Pintér praised Turkish border patrol officers serving on Hungary’s borders as “one of the most disciplined and effective unit”. Hungary is ready to start working on a system of cooperation between the two countries, he said. Turkey and Hungary hold similar, often identical stances on many current issues, which will facilitate cooperation, he said.

Soylu said a declaration of intent had been signed to establish a cooperation mechanism which involves security and migration issues. There is strong cooperation between the two countries in the fight against drug trading, smuggling, organised crime and terrorism, he added.

• Read also: Erdogan’s wow: Turkey remains a safe background to Hungary’s energy security

Soylu said that 50 Turkish police officers were working at three Hungarian border crossings and Turkish police had stopped 3,776 illegal migrants so far.

Pintér congratulated Soylu for the developments made in police and gendarmerie services, and said that “these developments raised the level of Turkey’s law enforcement to world standard”. Soylu said Turkish-Hungarian relations were exemplary for the whole world.

• Read also: Hungary, Turkey to cooperate in developing combat vehicle

Source: MTI