Due to the migration pressure, the number of people coming from western Europe to settle in Hungary has gone up between 20 percent and 40 percent over the past several years, the Hungarian interior ministry’s parliamentary state secretary said in Budapest on Tuesday, speaking at a farewell ceremony for a new police contingent dispatched to serve in Serbia.
Bence Retvari pointed out that since the migration crisis that erupted in 2015, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of people who are relocating to Hungary for safety and security reasons due to public conditions in Western Europe.
Since 2015, the number of those relocating to Hungary from Belgium has increased by 47 percent, from Italy by 45 percent, from the Netherlands by 43 percent, from Spain by 40 percent, from Switzerland 28 percent, from Austria by 25 percent, from Britain by 22 percent and from Germany and France by 20 percent, respectively, he said. The state secretary highlighted that
although illegal immigration poses an increased threat to Hungary, the country does not experience the kind of migrant-related mass atrocities and riots that are common in many large Western European cities, especially around New Year's Eve.
Addressing the ceremony for the next contingent of Hungarian police officers dispatched to serve in Serbia in partnership with their local and Austrian colleagues, the state secretary noted that their task is becoming increasingly difficult and important as they are protecting the EU, and Hungary, against the mounting migratory pressure.
The state secretary recently visited the Hungarian police officers working in Serbia. Speaking about his visit, he said he had met officers serving on their 8th mission there, highlighting that last year, close to 400 Hungarian officers served on the missions. He pointed out that
there are many who are not interested in curbing illegal immigration, but in organizing it.
This is why the migration pact was adopted in Brussels, which distributes migrants among EU Member States on the basis of various quotas, without taking into account previous agreements. In the June European Parliament elections significantly more people will vote for political forces that oppose immigration, according to Bence Retvari.
Hungarians have clearly rejected migration on several occasions, he said, adding that the opportunity for Hungarians to express their opinion is offered by the current national consultation survey, which is open until January 17.
