The Hungarian authorities will introduce "in-depth" border defence at 0.00 hours on Tuesday along the Serbian and Croatian border, György Bakondi, Chief Security Advisor to the Prime Minister announced at a press conference.
Mr. Bakondi told the press: this means that those migrants who are apprehended within a distance of 8 kilometres of the border will be accompanied back to the gate at the border fence and will be directed to the nearest transit zone.
This measure – in combination with the simultaneous significant reinforcement of the border guarding forces in the region – has been made possible by the authorisation of Parliament, he added.
The Chief Security Advisor said that 17,351 illegal border-crossers have been apprehended this year (391,000 last year), and 330 people are in alien policy custody. Only 13 of them have been captured on the Croatian border section this year which is negligible compared to the activity experienced on the Serbian section.
According to his information, proceedings have been instituted due to violent border-crossing, i.e. the provable damaging of the border fence, in 4,942 cases since last September. Last year 1,176 people were charged with and taken to court due to people smuggling, while this year 163 persons have been brought to justice on this score.
More than 177,000 persons submitted asylum requests last year, while only 22,000 applications have been submitted this year, but only 264 persons have been granted asylum.
In answer to questions, Mr. Bakondi also pointed out that maintaining the level three anti-terrorism alert is all the more justified because security measures throughout Europe have not abated, there is a state of emergency in France also at present, and a number of terrorist attacks are taking place, the latest of which was committed in Turkey.
Also in answer to a question, he confirmed that a fight broke out between Afghanistani and Pakistani youths last week at the reception centre for underage migrants. Three people were lightly injured in the incident. The police instituted criminal proceedings due to disorderly conduct, Mr. Bakondi said.
The Chief Security Advisor further told the press that, in contrast to the defence forces, the internal affairs staff are insured.