“The police will continue to do everything possible in the interests of the security of the country and Hungarian families during the Christmas holidays, and accordingly will assure the protection of the border with continued vigilance and intensity”, The Ministry of Interior’s Parliamentary State Secretary said at a press conference in Budapest on Wednesday.

Károly Kontrát said the migration route may currently not lead through Hungary, but this is only thanks to the fence and determined border protection measures. “Without these, we would again be the main border gate for illegal immigration”, he added.

The State Secretary pointed out that some 70 thousand migrants are attempting to reach Europe via the Balkan migration route, and according to forecasts a new wave of migration could set off from Turkey. According to Mr. Kontrát, border protection is an even more testing task in the “cold, freezing conditions, fog and minuses”, and accordingly, including in the name of the Hungarian people, he thanked police for their perseverance and service to their country.

He stressed that the Government will continue to provide all of the conditions required to enable police to perform their duties successfully.

He also mentioned that the Government has kept its promise to increase wages, according to which police salaries are increasing by an average of 50 percent between 2015 and January 2019.

In reply to a question, the State Secretary told reporters that 15 police officers had been injured during the recent violent protests, and the Ministry of Interior is doing everything to assure their speed recovery.

Mr. Kontrát said it was unacceptable that during the protests the opposition is attacking Hungarian police with calculated, violent provocations.

(MTI)