Government official: Migration wave not abating
The migration wave shows no signs of easing, with the Hungarian authorities having prevented 125,000 people from crossing the country's southern border illegally so far this year, a senior interior ministry official said at a farewell ceremony to a Hungarian police contingent on Tuesday.
The contingent being dispatched to serve in Serbia for the next month will also be protecting the Hungarian people, State Secretary Bence Retvari said, sending off the latest group of officers.
He noted that Hungarian authorities thwarted on average 485 illegal border crossing attempts per day throughout this year so far with the number of violent acts totalling 168 at the country’s southern border.
Without Hungary’s help, the migration pressure on both Austria and Slovakia would be significantly greater, Retvari said, relaying the Serbian authorities’ thanks for Hungary’s assistance.
He said the fact that migrants and people smugglers had been forced out of the better guarded areas was proof that border protection was working.
