President Novak inspects southern border with Serbian counterpart, former Czech PM

The border is a symbol of sovereignty “which guarantees our ability to preserve our security”, Novak told a press conference in Kelebia.

In order for Europe to remain “an island of peace” in the long run, a distinction must be made between illegal immigrants and refugees, Novak said. Hungary takes in the refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine and helps them in every way it can, she said, noting that more than a million people have been admitted since the start of the conflict.

But Hungary has been taking the firmest possible action against illegal immigration “from the very first moment”, Novak said. Migration pressure is rising, she added, noting that 261,000 migrants had attempted to enter Hungary illegally so far this year, which was twice as many as last year.