Due to the increased pressure on Hungary’s southern border, the government has extended the current migration emergency until March 7, 2023, the cabinet told national news agency MTI.
This year, more than 162,000 border violators have already been apprehended at the Hungarian border, compared to around 60,000 in the same period last year. This means that almost 100,000 more migrants tried to enter Hungary illegally in one year, while the number of people smugglers doubled compared to the same period of the previous year.
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Migrants trapped on the Balkan route are trying to enter the country using more violence and regularly attack policemen protecting the border; most recently, they threw stones at those building the border fence and attacked them with axes, the government said in its statement. The protection of the southern border section is extremely important to Hungary, which necessitates setting up border-hunting units and strengthening the border fence, the statement added.
“The Hungarian government continues to pursue an open and clear immigration policy: We maintain the border fence, we ensure border protection, and in the discussions in Brussels, we also take the firm position that we refuse the resettlement of migrants, that Europe and Hungary must be protected from mass immigration,” the government’s statement said.
“The national government will not allow our country to become a country of immigrants. The results of the national consultation, the referendums, and the elections confirm that the government shares the same position as the people, and the Hungarian people expect the government to protect the borders of the country.”
Across Europe, countries are facing migration pressure that has not been seen since the 2015-2016 crisis, with Greece turning back 150,000 illegal migrants so far this year and Czechia seeing record numbers over the last three months.
