Further major flows of migrants could set out from Africa due to the economic impacts of the coronavirus epidemic, the Chief Security Advisor to the Prime Minister said on the Friday evening programme of the public service television news channel M1.

According to György Bakondi, some African countries whose economies are doing poorly as it is find it hard to manage the economic decline caused by the virus situation. As a result, further major flows of migrants could set out partly within Africa in the hope of finding a living, and partly for Europe in the hope of welfare.

The chief advisor also said migrants in France are trying to illegally cross over to Britain in ever larger numbers. Some of them are trying to make their way via the tunnel, getting onto trucks and trains; however, in the last month or two, many have also tried to enter Britain via boats and on board ships. On the one hand, this poses an internal security risk and could lead to a deterioration in public security, while on the other hand, it is difficult to predict what relationship there could be between mass migration and the virus situation, he said.

He also spoke about the situation in Turkey where at the Greek-Turkish border twice during Thursday night, shots were fired at Greek territory from rubber boats on the Evros River. The incident also involved German Frontex officers, Mr Bakondi added.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)