Government Spokesperson Zoltán Kovács told public news channel M1 on Friday that, in parallel with making legislation on immigration stricter, illegal border-crossing must once again be classified as a criminal offence, rather than a simple infraction.

The Government Spokesperson said that crossing the border illegally had originally been treated as a criminal offence, but that in recent years – partly due to harmonisation of national law with EU law, and partly in line with the “spirit of the times” – it had been downgraded to an infraction. He emphasised that no country in the world would accept people crossing its borders “as any individual sees fit”.

The Government’s stance is that, apart from making legislation on immigration stricter, there is also a need to redefine the relevant passages of the Criminal Code, Mr. Kovács explained. At the same time he emphasised that this change must be in line with EU law.

János Lázár, Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office, announced on Thursday that the Government will initiate amendment of the Criminal Code in order to classify illegal border-crossing as a criminal offence and not an infraction. He said that in the autumn Parliament will be requested to amend the corresponding legislation.

Minister of Justice László Trócsányi will present the specific proposal to the Government on Tuesday.

(Prime Minister's Office)