Police and border patrol units up in arms against illegal migrants

Hungarian police had to deal with 843 illegal migrants at the the country's southern border in a single day. In and around the towns of Asotthalom and Morahalom, groups of around 140-180 migrants make regular attempts to scale the fence with ladders and to overrun security forces. Human smugglers are also active, trying to provide rides for those who have crossed successfully.

The influx of illegal migrants at the Schengen border continues unabated. On August 28, on-duty officers dealt with a total of 834 illegal immigrants, of whom 664 were arrested and 170 prevented from entering Hungary unlawfully. 

Illegal migrants are exceptionally active at the Hungary-Serbia border, PM Orban's chief domestic security advisor told public radio on Tuesday morning.

Again, authorities registered the highest number of border crossers in the southern Csongrad-Csanad county, where patrolling officers arrested 630 border violators in 18 cases in the administrative districts of Asotthalom, Domaszek, Morahalom and Zakanyszek.

In the areas of Asotthalom and Morahalom, large groups of 140-180 are scaling the fence using ladders and attempting to overrun the patrolling security forces, advisor Gyorgy Bakondi has said, adding that human smugglers are also active, trying to provide a ride to those who have crossed the border successfully. 

Police and border patrol units are up in arms, 

– the chief security advisor said, pointing out that illegal migrants stage regular attacks against the technical border barriers, police vehicles and officers with wooden sticks, stones and slingshot bullets, as a result of which seven officers have been injured this year.

In Serbia, weapons have also appeared around the border, and public security has become critical in a small, populated area.

At first, the criminal gangs fought each other with knives, pistols and machine guns outside of populated areas., but recently they have appeared and begun shooting in residential areas. The gravity of the situation is evidenced by the fact that

there was a hand grenade attack on the house of a man who frequently criticized and condemned illegal migration on social media.

– This is noteworthy because it is the first time since 2015 that criminal gangs have deliberately targeted the population," Mr Bakondi said, describing the incident as a sign of a new and dangerous era.

At the same time, he also underlined that Serbia, in line with its European integration efforts, is actively involved in border surveillance duties and cooperates with both the Hungarian and Austrian authorities, often deploying special police units to the border area.

Mr Bakondi called the EU's expectation to provide open camps for illegal migrants, from which they are free to leave, demoralizing for both the police forces and members of the general population.

Next year's European Parliament elections could bring a change in terms of illegal migration, creating such a European Commission and a parliamentary majority that would start treating the issue of illegal migration in light of its true dangers and security risks, the security advisor said.

This illegal migrant is waving a hand gun threateningly at the technical border fence on the Vojvodina side. Source: Police.hu

Speaking on Hungary's current affairs channel M1, Gyorgy Bakondi also underlined that 

Hungary was doing all it can to take a very active part in the fight for European security.

As an example, he cited the presence of Hungarian police forces along the Serbia-North Macedonia border - which is part of Hungary's commitment within the franework of the Hungarian-Austrian-Serbian cooperation -, as well as their participation in other Frontex missions and the protection of the Greece-North Macedonia border.

Tens of thousands are coming 

The number of police measures imposed against illegal migrants entering the bloc unlawfully at Hungary's external Schengen border and within the country exceeded 100,000 in 2023, Colonel Laszlo Balazs, the head of the Border Police Department at the National Police Headquarters said. Within the European Union, Hungary accounted for 28 percent of the measures taken against illegal migrants, which clearly shows that the country plays a prominent role in the region in halting the flow of illegal migration. Police remain committed to preventing illegal migrants arriving via the Western Balkan migration route from entering Hungary and the European Union illegally.

Cover photo: Migrants attacking Hungary's technical border barrier (Source: Police.hu)