On Tuesday Government Spokesperson Zoltán Kovács told national news channel M1 that by the end of the year as many as 250–300,000 immigrants might have arrived in Hungary, which is why the country needs the security barrier on its southern border.

The Government Spokesperson said that by the end of last week over ninety-five thousand people had crossed the Hungarian border illegally. Mr. Kovács said that this “flood” has to be managed somehow, and the temporary barrier constructed on the Hungarian-Serbian border could effectively assist in this.

There was also a question about the stance of the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP), who have said that the national consultation on immigration was a failure, as only 12–13% per cent of the electorate returned completed questionnaires.

In this regard, Mr. Kovács said that this percentage is still “5–6% per cent higher” than MSZP’s current support in opinion polls. He added that the more than one million people who have returned the questionnaires provide a “strongly representative sample” of what Hungarians think of illegal immigration.

He said that many statements – with which an “overwhelming majority” of respondents agree – have proved to be true. Furthermore, in many ways the situation has deteriorated, and therefore the Government has to implement further measures, he said.

(Prime Minister's Office)