Hungary could also witness shoot-outs among migrants

If we were coerced into establishing migrant ghettos in Hungary, a shootout between migrants similar to the one witnessed just the other day in Serbia would be inevitable, so in the future, it's possible that Hungary may use military means to protect its border. Jozsef Horvath, security policy advisor at the Center for Fundamental Rights, was asked by Magyar Nemzet asked about last night's shootings in Serbia.

"Anyone who says that such shootings cannot happen in Hungary is lying. If we set up migrant ghettos in our country, it is only a matter of time before migrants engage in organised crime in Hungary. This could also lead to showdowns and armed clashes, Jozsef Horvath, a security policy advisor at the Center for Fundamental Rights, told Magyar Nemzet speaking about last night's shootings in Serbia.

In recent months, members of various criminal organisations have attempted to take submachine guns, ammunition and hand grenades across Hungary's southern border to deliver the weapons to Western Europe, the expert said (Photo: Pesti Sracok)

As is known, on Monday evening, migrants fired a series of shots from an outbuilding in the courtyard of a residential house in Hajdukovo (Hajdujaras) in Vojvodina, Serbia. According to press reports, the migrants also opened fire at police officers. Local residents fled to their houses and many of them lay on the ground waiting for the riot police to arrive. Similar shootings between human smugglers near the border have occurred before, but such violence taking place in the yard of a residential building, endangering local residents' lives, is unprecedented.

Shootings by migrants and the human traffickers transporting them have taken place not only in Hajdukovo, but also in Kikinda (Nagykikinda), Palic (Palics), Horgos and Subotica (Szabadka), Bojan Soralov, head of the North Backa district, told  Pannon RTV.  It is worth noting here that in addition to the previous migrant relocation quota, the European Union would  mandate Hungary to set up a migrant camp or migrant ghetto to accommodate tens of thousands of migrants, and Hungary would have to process asylum applications within 12 weeks.

Mandatory open-door policy

"The EU is pushing the idea that we cannot keep the doors of migrant ghettos closed or keep them guarded. Here too, the members of criminal organisations, mingled with the migrants, would seek to gain positions to control prostitution, drugs, arms and cigarette trafficking, just like in Serbia and various Western European countries. This leads to conflicts," Jozsef Horvath said. The expert highlighted that

in recent months, members of various criminal organisations have attempted to take submachine guns, ammunition and hand grenades across Hungary's southern border to deliver the weapons to Western Europe.

The weapons are intended for criminal gangs with migrant background there, he explained. "In Sweden, clashes between gangs using explosives and automatic weapons have almost become commonplace. Just recall the days of migrant rioting, nearing a civil war, in France where migrants opened fire at police officers with automatic weapons. Wherever there is a market demand, organised crime is quick to emerge to meet needs.

In the black market of the former Yugoslav states, Soviet-style weapons manufactured by former Yugoslav arms factories can be obtained relatively quickly and easily,

he said. The expert added that it cannot be ruled out that weapons could also come from Ukraine, but the chances of ex-Yugoslav organised crime selling weapons produced in former Yugoslavia are far higher. "We know that after the disintegration of Yugoslavia, the arms market worked with far less control, so individuals and criminal organisations possess significant quantities of weapons to this day. Criminal organisations engage in trading these weapons," he said.

Are we to protect Hungary's border with weapons in the future?

People smugglers are still moderate in their use of tools to intimidate soldiers and police guarding Hungary's border. They have used glass balls and professional slingshots to smash the windscreen of patrol cars, and they have also used rebars. However, beyond showing their weapons, they have not yet gone so far as to attack law enforcement staff with live firearms. 

The reason is that they want to avoid even stricter border controls at Hungary's southern border. Obviously, if our border police were attacked, Hungary could use military means to protect its southern border,

the expert explained. Serbia is under pressure from two directions, Jozsef Horvath said. "The country has been languishing in the EU's antechamber for years, trying to comply with EU requirements, but there is also a lot of pressure on Serbia's government from the population. Citizens want their peace and security back and the Serbs are taking action to meet these expectations. The people smugglers are protecting their business interests, even against Serb authorities, the security policy advisor at the Center for Fundamental Rights said in conclusion.

Cover photo: Illustration (Photo: Pannon RTV)