The Government will be increasing child protection capacities required to care for minors arriving in Hungary without accompaniment, the Government Spokesperson announced in Szeged.
Zoltán Kovács told reporters that 44.693 children under the age of 18 had applied for asylum status in Hungary so far this year, of which some 8000 arrived in the country without being accompanied by an adult. The Hungarian authorities have afforded 51 minors international protection so far in 2015, and the children have been placed with foster parents and within other elements of the child protection system.
“We are doing out utmost to care for everyone, and children are receiving special attention even within the current situation”, the Government Spokesperson stressed.
The Cabinet has decided to increase the capacity of the so-called Children’s City childcare centre in Fót, and if required the former government holiday camp in Balatonöszöd and beds maintained by the Saint Agatha Child Protection Service in Hódmezővásárhely might also be employed to accommodate minors who arrive in Hungary without adult accompaniment.
The Prime Minister’s Chief Advisor on Home Security, György Bakondi, informed the press that the Government had decided to provide 200 million forints (EUR 640,000) in funding to caritative organisations with extensive international connections, such as the Hungarian Red Cross, Hungarian Interchurch Aid and the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta, which are involved in handling the refugee crisis.
The Chief Advisor also said that the transit zone in Tompa is currently empty and 48 people had applied for asylum status in Röszke by early afternoon. Eighteen applications have been rejected so far; fifteen rulings have come into force and three people have lodged appeals.
174 illegal immigrants were apprehended in Csongrád County until 4pm today and court proceedings have been launched against them for illegally crossing the border, Mr. Bakondi said.