“When people talk about the dangers of illegal immigration, incidents similar to the recent attack on a Hungarian truck driver in France put the case in a different light”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Press Chief Tamás Menczer said at a press conference.
Mr. Menczer asked: Who will stand before the driver and tell him illegal immigration isn’t dangerous, this was just a one-off attack? Except he happens to have been the victim of this one-off attack, he added.
He also asked who would provide an answer to the truck driver’s wife, who is terrified and doesn’t understand why her 49-year-old husband, who has worked hard all his life, has been beaten up.
“The question also arises, which treaty on refugees includes the fact that illegal immigrants have the right to decide that they want to live in England, and if a Hungarian truck driver refuses to take them there they can beat him up so badly that he ends up needing hospital treatment. People will also be able to voice their opinions on the case at the upcoming referendum”, he pointed out.
“The attack happened in France at 4 o’clock in the morning on Thursday on the A25 motorway near Lille, about 100 kilometres from Calais. The victim noticed his heavy good vehicle moving and found four illegal immigrants trying to open the tarpaulin. When he tried to chase them away they attacked him with iron bars and wrenches, primarily hitting his head and face”, Mr. Menczer told the press.
“The man was taken to hospital by ambulance, but was later transferred to Lille because of his facial injuries. The victim has four loose teeth, a broken bridge, a swollen face, and has required multiple stiches, which may be removed within eight-ten days. Doctors felt he didn’t require overnight supervision, so he was allowed to spend the night in a hotel. Later, the police took him back to his truck where he was able to pick up clothes and personal belongings”, the Press Chief continued.
Mr. Menczer also said that the truck driver is still being interviewed, police have taken fingerprints and have shown him photographs of possible suspects. “The truck driver’s employer is taking care of transporting him home. Two drivers will set off from Hungary on Friday; one will take the heavy goods vehicle on to the United Kingdom, while the other will bring the victim home, probably on Saturday”, he said.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing al possible assistance to the driver’s family, who aren’t well, while the driver himself is having nightmares because of the attack”, he added.
In reply to a question the Chief Press Officer said it is assumed that the perpetrators were illegal immigrants because they approached the driver repeating the word England and the same can be deduced from the driver’s description of the attackers.
Mr. Menczer stressed that the Ministry is asking all Hungarian citizens abroad to request assistance from the relative Embassy or Consulate general if they feel they are in trouble.
The truck driver’s wife reported on the Thursday attack by letter on Hungarian M1 television news.
At the press conference, in reply to a question concerning reports that an event in London by Ferenc Gyurcsány (DK) had apparently been disturbed by employees of the Hungarian Embassy, Mr. Menczer said: No Embassy employees took part in the event.