The goal is to „remove” illegal border-crossers from the territory of Hungary; however, if they must for some reason serve their sentences here, Hungarian penal enforcement is prepared for their reception, Minister of State of the Ministry of Interior Károly Kontrát said on Monday in the programme 180 minutes of the radio station Kossuth Rádió.

The Minister of State pointed out: the Government is seeking to prevent anyone from illegally entering the country via the green border. The 13 bills submitted to Parliament last week serve to achieve this goal. Mr Kontrát said that in order to ensure that no one may enter the country illegally, in addition to the amendment of Hungary’s laws, it is also necessary to complete the temporary security border fence by the end of October.

He added: if Parliament passes the amendments of the laws, the Hungarian Defence Force will also take part in the guarding of the state borders, the police will be granted additional powers, and transit zones will be created on the border which will be open in the direction of Serbia. At the same time, the laws on civil and criminal proceedings will change, and the provisions of the Penal Code will be rendered more stringent as well.

These measures serve to protect Hungary, the Hungarian people and the European Union, the Minister of State added.

In answer to the question of whether he reckons with a rise in the number of the prison population, Mr Kontrát pointed out: with the amendment of the legal rules in question, there will be scope for deportation.

The goal is to „remove” illegal border-crossers from the territory of Hungary, but if they must for any reason serve their sentences in Hungary, Hungary’s penal enforcement is prepared for the reception of these perpetrators, the Minister of State said.

(Ministry of Interior)