At his press conference held in Budapest on Friday the Chief Security Advisor to the Prime Minister described this year as crucial from the viewpoint of security. György Bakondi stressed that Brussels will push for the approval of the new quota system without an upper limit, which is designed to regulate the distribution of newly arriving migrants, by the summer.

In 2017 we observed an improvement in the state of internal security in Hungary, while the situation deteriorated everywhere else in Europe, Mr Bakondi said on the basis of the number of crimes, including violent crimes and acts of terrorism, adding that the development of migration has an impact on the European people’s everyday sense of security, and a change in that sense of security also has an impact on their political opinions. This is clearly testified to by last year’s election results.

Mr Bakondi highlighted that, looking back, one may conclude that Hungary’s former assessment of the situation and projection regarding the future were right and realistic, so were the measures implemented. The procedures Hungary conducted were lawful and legal, and the law enforcement developments that have been carried out were clearly necessary.

He mentioned that last year there were six vehicle rampage attacks, four stabbing incidents and one terrorist attack involving the use of explosives in Western Europe in which fifty people died, 380 people were injured, and more and more attacks are being carried out against the members of law enforcement agencies.

Mr Bakondi said that the structure of illegal migration had become more transparent by 2017: while people are coming from Africa in ever increasing numbers, the authorities are finding out more and more about the organisation of their flows, and the Western European hypothesis that sea migration is unstoppable has been refuted.

As he said, based on UN date, last year from among the three routes, 29,716 migrants arrived in Greece by sea, primarily from Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, 119,274 migrants arrived in Italy, mostly from Nigeria, Guinea and Bangladesh, and 21,258 migrants arrived in Spanish territories illegally, most of them from Morocco, Algeria and Guinea.

He indicated that in 2017 from the some 20,000 entry attempts on the Serbian-Hungarian border section the authorities managed to foil 11,000, and in the remaining 9,000 cases they escorted migrants back to the border fence. The authorities recorded 1,418 apprehensions on other border sections.

According to Mr Bakondi’s information 3,397 asylum applications were submitted in Hungary last year, and 1,291 of these applicants were granted protection of some kind: 106 received refugee status, 1,110 persons are entitled to protection and 75 persons are entitled to remain. In 2050 cases the procedures were terminated due to the departure of the individuals concerned, while 2,880 applications were refused. During the same period the Hungarian authorities instituted proceedings against 141 people smugglers.

The mass influx back into Europe of those who previously took part in fighting, due to the military defeat of the organisation Islamic State, emerged as a new threat at the end of 2017. The European Union’s primary concept for the resolution of the situation, the distribution of migrants on the basis of quotas without an upper limit, has failed in essence.

Regarding last year, the chief security advisor highlighted that instead of “the dream of integration”, “we observed the coming into being of parallel societies and a deterioration in the state of internal security in Western Europe”, along with the intensification of the activities of the Soros organisations and their open involvement in politics which George Soros himself joined.

Hungary was in the cross hairs of political and legal attacks throughout the year, Mr Bakondi observed. He pointed out that the goal of these attacks was to induce Hungary to change its migration policy. He added that in 2017 “we saw a strange interpretation of solidarity”; according to this interpretation the only yardstick is the acceptance of the quotas. Mr Bakondi highlighted that the Central and Eastern European position involves a “much broader interpretation” of this term.

Mr Bakondi remarked that upon the implementation of measures “we were in full harmony with the European Union’s legal acts and founding treaties, and our international activities were also expedient and successful”, noting that “we also heartily recommend” to our western partners the experiences of the National Consultation conducted last year.

There is a robust expression of views here which is democratically unquestionable and is far weightier than a mere opinion poll. It helps and obliges the Hungarian Government to continue its policy related to migration, stated the Chief Security Advisor to the Prime Minister who believes that “a difficult period will continue” this year, and the further protection of our interests will be at stake in the spring elections.

He stressed that if the Soros plan is implemented, Europe will undoubtedly and perceivably change, the security situation will deteriorate, and there will be a rise in crime rates and acts of terrorism. He indicated that “the Government wishes to preserve Hungary as one of Europe’s safest countries also in 2018”, and to this end shortly it will discuss an action plan whose measures will serve to prevent the implementation of the Soros plan.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)