The Chief Security Advisor to the Prime Minister said it was timely that citizens voice their opinions on the Government’s migration policy and actions to prevent future threats within the framework of the National Consultation, because there is no consensus between Brussels and Budapest on the matter.

At a press conference in Budapest on Friday morning, György Bakondi reminded the press that on 5 April the European Parliament adopted and issued a resolution on the handling of refugees and waves of migrants, adding that in his opinion some of the 90-point resolution “sounds as if nothing had happened since 2015), citing as an example the fact that according to the resolution a joint response must be founded on solidarity instead of an approach that is based solely on security. According to Mr. Bakondi, the document places major emphasis on the integration, education and employment of migrants and states that societies must be more flexible and welcoming with regard to migrants. In addition, it continues to call for the implementation of the resettlement programme.

“These goals are not in harmony with the migration policy pursued by the Hungarian Government, and it is therefore timely for the public to voice its opinion on migration policy during the National Consultation”, he declared.

Future threats with relation to migration may be summarised in six points, he explained. These are: the continued attacking of the border barrier, increasing inflow, permanent internal border controls to the detriment of the Schengen acquis, the distribution of migrants already in the European Union according to quotas, the deportation of 40 thousand migrants back to Hungary and “legal actions relating to the migrant business”.

The Chief Security Advisor recalled that the new Hungarian regulations on the legal border barrier came into force on 28 March and are aimed at sealing the Hungarian green border, and with it the Schengen border, reinforcing European security, preparing for a possible worsening of the migration situation along the Balkan migration route and closing loopholes relating to asylum requests.

“The rule of law must be reinstated at the border to ensure that the borders may only be crossed in accordance with national and EU law”, he declared.

Mr. Bakondi told reporters that 371 people have crossed the border illegally this year, compared to 18 thousand last year, 250 of whom were apprehended outside the border zone. Last year there were 19 thousand attempts to cross the southern border illegally, while this year there have been 6333 attempts so far, of which 3863 people were prevented from entering Hungary and 2470 illegal immigrants were accompanied back to the other side of the border. 83 attempts to illegally cross the border have occurred since 28 March, 29 of which were prevented, while 54 people were accompanied back to the other side of the border security fence.

He added: 1337 asylum requests have been submitted so far this year, 86 since 28 March. A total of 84 people have been afforded international protection so far this year; last year the total was 438. Criminal proceedings have been initiated against 38 people smugglers.

The Chief Security Advisor also mentioned that 99 people are currently housed at one of the transit zones in Röszke and Tompa, and their numbers are increasing, while 21 minors who arrived in Hungary without adult accompaniment are currently being cared for at the Fót children’s home.

Mr. Bakondi also spoke about the fact that there had been several complaints that the immigration authority wasn’t examining asylum requests on an individual basis, but that this does not correspond to reality. “All asylum requests are examined on an individual basis, including in transit zones, to see if the applicant was indeed persecuted in their country of origin or in any of the transit countries they crossed before arriving in Hungary”, he stressed.

The Chief Security Advisor indicated that the new EU regulations introducing systematic border controls at external Schengen borders came into force on Friday.

(MTI)