In Budapest, Commander of the Operational Police János Balogh has announced that another police contingent will travel to Macedonia to support border protection efforts at the Macedonian-Greek border and to take action against illegal migration. At the Operational Police Headquarters in Budapest on Thursday Mr. Balogh greeted the contingent of 24 men and one woman.
Mr. Balogh said that this is the fifth contingent that Hungary has sent to help Macedonia’s border protection efforts. Until now, the deployment of the contingents followed individual requests, but a few days ago the Government decided to send Hungarian police units to Macedonia in monthly shifts up until 31 December.
The Commander pointed out that Macedonia was among the first countries to follow Hungary’s lead in closing their border. He added that this is a position which clearly shows that illegal migration must be halted, directed onto a legal path, and the influx of migrants must be channelled into a controlled framework.
He also pointed out that although the 25-strong contingent does not seem large, it still has significance, as it gives Macedonian police personnel the chance to spend time with their families. Mr. Balogh also thanked the families of Hungarian officers for their understanding, and for letting members of the contingent fulfil this important and patriotic duty.
He told police officers that they will have to face illegal migration on the front line, but through their work they will also be protecting the interests of Hungary and the European Union. He asked them to fulfil their duties decisively, lawfully, professionally and humanely.