On Monday, 28 March – after making a visit to the border near Ásotthalom together with the National Police Commissioner’s Deputy for Public Order Maj.-Gen. Zsolt Halmosi – Chief of Defence Gen. Dr. Tibor Benkő stated that “the soldiers serving on the border are well-prepared and motivated. Their core task is to support the work of the police.”

Gen. Tibor Benkő noted that the units of the Hungarian Defence Forces have been working on the southern border of Hungary since last July. The general added that first they participated in building a temporary security barrier, and at present they are assisting with border guard duties.

He told the press that the temporary security barrier is a physical obstacle for migrants, but there is also a need for personnel assigned with guard duties. Many of the soldiers serving on the border have recently returned from foreign missions, and others are preparing for tours of duty in Kosovo or Iraq.

The Chief of Defence emphasized that the latter is especially important, because the Iraqi mission may help to create the conditions for reducing the number of people leaving their country.

Police Maj.-Gen. Zsolt Halmosi said that more than 1,000 policemen and soldiers are serving along the 174-kilometer-long Hungarian–Serbian border.
The general told the press that this year 5589 border violators have been stopped so far, whereas the number of arrested was 29,500 in the same period last year. He added that 320 border violators were detained at the weekend, and another 220 until midday on Monday morning.

This year legal proceedings have been brought against 62 people-smugglers, and this number was over 1,000 in 2015, the major-general said.

Zsolt Halmosi emphasized that the police are continuously monitoring the new people-smuggling routes, and are ready to stop mass migration on the Romanian–Hungarian border.

In answer to a question, the general said that there is excellent cooperation between the Hungarian police and Serbian authorities. Furthermore, the police forces are jointly patrolling both sides of the border.

(Ministry of Defence)