György Bakondi, Chief Security Advisor to the Prime Minister, has told Hungarian television channel M1 that the events of the past couple of days have shown that Europe’s internal security has deteriorated dramatically, and that as a result nation states have gone on the defensive. Meanwhile, he added, at EU level decision-makers have “come to a standstill” with the approach which Hungary is seeking to change.

Speaking about the attempted arrest in Chemnitz in Saxony on Saturday of a man suspected of planning a bomb attack, Mr. Bakondi said that it has been common practice among migrants arriving on the Balkan route to call themselves refugees, in order to get into open camps. During their asylum process periods, however, many of them have disappeared. In any specific case, Mr. Bakondi said, it is not only important to know on what kind of route someone has arrived, but also what kind of support they received. He added that the planning of a terrorist attack is backed up by serious logistical activity.

Speaking about last week’s exercise by the Counter-Terrorism Centre (TEK), Mr. Bakondi said that in the exercise Hungarian counter-terrorism units proved that they could intervene in a prepared, effective and controlled manner, and the simulated terrorist action was foiled.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)