György Bakondi, Chief Security Advisor to the Prime Minister told Hungarian news agency MTI that the number of those attempting to cross the 175-kilometre-long border section between Hungary and Serbia illegally increases every month.
By returning migrants apprehended within eight kilometres from Hungary’s borders to the transit zones, the legislator applies an effective method in order to handle this situation and still ensure refugees the right to receive protection. The relevant amendment will enter into force on Tuesday.
Mr. Bakondi added that the same method was applied in the case of migrants apprehended in Austria: the aim of this measure is to ensure that no one stays in Hungary illegally.
The Chief Security Advisor also said that this year 17,489 people have been apprehended for crossing the border illegally in an aggressive manner, and some 5,000 criminal proceedings have been launched. He added that asylum requests are being evaluated within 72 hours, in the case of young men, which constitutes the majority of the cases – the request is being evaluated based on national security, criminal and public health checks – and the decision on granting protection is made on the spot.
Speaking about the fight that erupted on Friday in the Children’s Home in Fót, he said it was only upon the arrival of police forces that the approximately 20 young men of Afghani and Pakistani origins stopped fighting. Three of them suffered injuries that would heal within eight days.
Mr. Bakondi pointed out that similar incidents could be prevented with the reinforcement of external border protection, and if Hungary’s proposals on establishing a three-fold line of protection with other Member States were be taken into consideration.
The first task is to support the migrants’ countries of origin and the transit countries and to create a cooperation system that ensures that migrants do not set off for Europe and do not cross the transit countries. The second one is the establishment of hot spots outside the European Union, where the decision on the eligibility for political asylum could be made. And the third one is the protection of the EU’s external borders, he explained. These measures are needed to ensure that prevent incidents that would endanger public security and often also national security from happening, he said.
Hungary to implement 8km ‘deep border’ controls along Serbia, Croatia
Hungary is implementing “deep border” controls along the border with Serbia and Croatia so migrants stopped within 8km from the border will be escorted back to the nearest transit zone, the prime minister’s internal security advisor said. This involves ensuring that migrants cross back over the border before entering Hungary through official channels. The measure approved by parliament will enter force on Tuesday, Bakondi told a press conference. Border controls will be enhanced simultaneously, he added.
Photo: MTI
Source: MTI/kormany.hu
