“We must avoid all measures that make it easier for terrorists to enter Europe, and accordingly it is important that we do not have a repeat of the “insane situation” at Europe’s borders in which tens of thousands of people are allowed to enter [the European Union] without knowing who they are”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said at a press conference at Ferenc Liszt International Airport in Budapest.
With relation to Tuesday evening’s terrorist attack at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport, Mr. Szijjártó highlighted: “It has once again been proven that the threat of terrorism is present in the lives of Europeans on a daily basis, and that fear and the issue of security is foremost in their minds when they are travelling within the continent, although this was not previously the case. For this reason we must continue the fight against terrorism and the Hungarian Government is prepared to do so; Hungary is sending soldiers to fight against the Islamic State and this latest attack is another indication of the fact that Parliament made the right decision in this respect”.
According to Mr. Szijjártó, there is no doubt that Europe has been the victim of another terrorist attack. “A few months after the attack on the airport of Europe’s capital city, terrorists have now attacked another, extremely busy European airport used by tens of thousands of Europeans travelling to Asia every day”, he said, adding that “The Hungarian Government condemns the attack in the strongest possible terms, assures the families of the victims of its sympathy and wishes the injured a speedy recovery”.
Mr. Szijjártó told reporters: “According to current information, 41 people were killed in the attack and 239 were injured. Information from the Istanbul authorities indicates that no Hungarian citizens are among the dead or injured”.
The Foreign Minister also mentioned that 76 Hungarian citizens had previously registered for consular protection at Hungary’s Consulate General in Istanbul, of whom 11 are currently in the city, while the remainder are in one of Turkey’s several seaside resorts. “The Consulate General has spoken with all of the Hungarian citizens currently in Istanbul and they are all fine. 64 of the 65 Hungarians currently outside the city have also been reached, and they are also well”, Mr. Szijjártó said, stressing the importance of consular registration.
Mr. Szijjártó also said that the Turkish Airlines flight from Budapest to Istanbul landed in Ankara on Tuesday evening and officials from the Hungarian Embassy were at the airport to assist Hungarian citizens. “There were 103 passengers on board, although the authorities provided no information as to how many of them were Hungarian. Also on board the flight was Hungary’s newly appointed Ambassador to Tokyo, who informed the Embassy that 18 other Hungarian citizens were also accommodated in the hotel he was taken to, and these Hungarians were accompanied to Ankara Airport this morning where they are re-booking their flights, or if that proves impossible, then the airline will be providing them with another night of accommodation”, he explained.
The Foreign Minister stressed that there will be no change in Turkey’s travel classification; the country is currently in category two, which means travellers are being warned to be especially vigilant. Several other European countries have also not changed their current classification, he pointed out.
In reply to a question, Mr. Szijjártó said that he had attended a meeting of the Hungarian-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Committee in Baku on Tuesday and was supposed to have returned to Budapest via Istanbul, but had instead arrived home via Moscow in view of events.
The Prime Minister’s Chief Advisor on Homeland Security György Bakondi explained: “This is the second suicide attack with major casualties against an airport within a short period of time and accordingly there is extensive ongoing discussion and exchange of information between European security services”.
With relation to security at Ferenc Liszt International Airport, Mr. Bakodni said: “The EU held a security inspection here in 2013 and at the time the Airport was rated as outstanding. Several stricter measures have been introduced since the terrorist attack in Brussels and various important law enforcement and intelligence measures were also implemented on this occasion to guarantee airport security”, he said.
“According to the Governments’ decision, an extraordinary security protocol inspection is being held at Budapest’s Ferenc Liszt International Airport with the involvement of the relative organisations, partly to reassure Hungarian citizens and foreign tourists arriving on international flights”, Mr. Bakondi highlighted.
The Chief Security Advisor said that in his opinion: “It is clear that existing opportunities [for terrorists to enter Europe] linked to mass illegal migration must be eliminated, in the interests of which the European Commission must also change its current policies”.