National security committee: Migration pressure unlikely to abate soon

Budapest, September 30 (MTI) – Most recent information suggests that migration pressure on Europe, and on Hungary, is unlikely to abate anytime soon, members of parliament’s national security committee said on Wednesday.

Zsolt Molnar, the head of the committee representing the opposition Socialists, told reporters after the session that it is expected that the number of migrants entering the continent is unlikely to decrease despite the fact that winter is approaching. He said the government is “half a year behind” in its response to the crisis, but applauded the efforts taken by the police and the secret services.

Molnar said the Syrian man, who was taken into custody for his alleged role in clashes between migrants and police at the Serbian-Hungarian border earlier this month, has been linked to an Islamic fundamentalist movement, but there is no information to suggest that he was plotting to carry out a terrorist act.

Answering a question, Molnar said authorities have no knowledge about any Hungarian citizens joining Islamic State or that any Islamic communities in Hungary would sympathise with them. He said there was no information to suggest that there is any terrorist threat against Hungary, adding however that the risk might increase due to the vast number of people passing through the country.

Szilard Nemeth, the deputy head of the committee for ruling Fidesz, said intelligence reports suggest that “we are only at the start” of the migrant crisis and that the European Union is likely to face an even greater migration pressure in the near future. He said the ruling parties made the right decision when they chose to protect the external border of the Schengen zone. He said the session was also addressed by interior ministry state secretary Laszlo Tasnadi who briefed members on the Ukraine conflict and the fight against IS.

Bernadett Szel, of the green opposition LMP, said the threat of terrorism has increased in Hungary but added that national security forces are “effective” in performing their duties.

Photo: MTI

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