Following talks with the mayors of Martonfa (Baranya County) and Sormás (Zala County), where two new migrant reception centres are to be established, Minister of State for Local Government at the Ministry of Interior Tibor Pogácsás told Hungarian news agency MTI on Tuesday that the Government will do everything to maintain public security and normal everyday life in the two settlements.

The Minister of State said that together with the mayors he had reviewed the various degrees of security risk related to the temporary migrant camps, and methods for ensuring public safety in the settlements. As an example he mentioned that the Ministry will support an enhanced police and community volunteer presence in the settlements, and – if necessary – will also assist in establishing a CCTV system.

Mr. Pogácsás expressed his understanding of the communities’ concerns, but at the same time emphasised that the new reception centres are only planned to be in operation for a short time, and consultations with the Government will remain in place throughout the implementation period. Illegal migrants will be placed in the open institutions – each with a capacity of one thousand people – while their asylum requests are being processed, he said.

He added that both the mayors had asked the Government to solve the problems related to the temporary reception centres, and the Government will do everything possible to ensure the continuation of normal everyday life in both settlements.

The Government decree on the establishment of the new temporary reception centres in Sormás and Martonfa was published in the Friday issue of the Hungarian Official Gazette.

(MTI)