- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

Hungary is Full: Budapest Hopes to Close Border to Illegal Migrants

© AFP 2023 / ATTILA KISBENEDEK A billboard with a state-funded anti-immigration poster reads in Hungarian 'If you come to Hungary, do not take the Hungarians' jobs !' at the third district of Budapest on June 8, 2015
A billboard with a state-funded anti-immigration poster reads in Hungarian 'If you come to Hungary, do not take the Hungarians' jobs !' at the third district of Budapest on June 8, 2015 - Sputnik International
Subscribe
Hungary's ruling party has reportedly resolved to draft legislation that could authorize the closure of the country's southern borders to illegal migrants.

A photo taken on January 22, 2015 in Beziers, southern France, shows the beacon of a vehicle of the French municipal police - Sputnik International
French Police Arrest Dozens of Undocumented Migrants in Paris
Antal Rogan, a politician from Hungary's ruling Fidesz party, urged the adoption of legislation which would authorize the closure of the country's southern borders to illegal migrants, media reports said.

Rogan, who heads the party's parliamentary group, mentioned at least 50,000 migrants, who he said crossed Hungary's borders illegally in January-May 2015; it is a drastic increase, as in 2014 only 43,000 illegal migrants entered Hungary. According to Reuters, most of the asylum-seekers who entered Hungary in 2014 were from three predominantly Muslim countries: Kosovo, Afghanistan and Syria.

Shortly after crossing the Hungarian border most asylum-seekers typically move on to other EU countries; however, Germany and Austria have already signaled their determination to send about 15,000 illegal migrants back to Hungary.

This prompted Rogan to call for "urgent steps" to be taken in order to stem the flow of migrants.

"Fidesz' parliamentary faction is considering drawing up a bill and practically making a proposal to close the southern border with certain legal means," Rogan was quoted by Reuters as saying late last week.

He added that the law would stipulate that "those entering Hungary from a safe country or from a safe transit country cannot apply for political asylum here."

A migrant opens his arms as he waits to disembark from the German Navy ship Hessen at the Palermo harbor, Italy. - Sputnik International
Destination Europe: Italians Say, No More Migrants
The remarks came after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban slammed the EU's proposals for migrant quotas as "bordering on insanity". It is part of the EU's efforts to resolve the ongoing migration crisis and respond to the thousands of deaths among asylum-seekers who tried to reach Europe by crossing the Mediterranean.

Meanwhile, the Hungarian government has started  a public campaign against illegal migrants by putting up billboards reading "if you come to Hungary, you can't take away the jobs of Hungarians."

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала