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News in Brief

Migration has increased along the Balkan migration route, says Chief Security Advisor

Jun 05, 2019

Official figures show the number of people apprehended each week along the Hungarian-Serbian border is currently two hundred, following an average of one hundred in the previous period.

News in Brief

Military personnel to help protect southern border

Jun 03, 2019

Hungary’s Chief Security Advisor has said the military personnel taking part in the defense of the southern border will enable the reallocation of various police units from the border.

News in Brief

PM Orbán inspects border fence with Italy's Deputy PM

May 03, 2019

Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini kicked off his visit to Hungary on Thursday by inspecting the fence on the country’s Serbian border with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán

Blog

PM Orbán: With Matteo Salvini we “proved that it’s not true that migration can’t be stopped”

May 03, 2019 - Zoltán Kovács

In his Friday morning interview on Kossuth radio, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán touched upon yesterday’s visit of Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Matteo Salvini, the Eastern Opening policy and the upcoming meeting with US President Donald Trump later this month.

Blog

PM Orbán on Matteo Salvini: His success in stopping illegal immigration is in our interest

May 02, 2019 - Zoltán Kovács

“Departing for Hungary to build a new Europe,” Matteo Salvini, minister of interior and deputy prime minister of Italy, tweeted this morning.

News in Brief

Chief Security Advisor: More Frontex officers not enough to halt inflow of migrants

Apr 18, 2019

Hungary’s Chief Security Advisor has highlighted that the European Union’s move to bolster the staff of border agency Frontex to 10,000 will not be enough to protect the bloc’s borders from a massive inflow of migrants

News in Brief

European Commission still hasn't reimbursed Hungary's costs for border protection caused by migrant crisis

Apr 09, 2019

The European Commission has yet to reimburse Hungary half of the costs it incurred in additional border defense spending since the 2015 migration crisis

News in Brief

Hungarian police force continues to help North Macedonia and Serbia tackle migrant crisis

Apr 03, 2019

The Hungarian officers will help patrol the Greek-North Macedonian and the North Macedonian-Serbian border to prevent illegal migration on the Balkans route

News in Brief

PM Orbán calls for swift action to be taken on migration and border protection

Mar 25, 2019

“If European policymakers fail to make decisions immediately, then it will be impossible to stop later what has already begun,” the prime minister said

News in Brief

We will not compromise on border protection, opposition to immigration, and defense of Christian culture, says minister

Mar 13, 2019

"We cannot and do not want to strike a compromise" on these issues.

Blog

Yes, migration is the most important issue in the EP elections

Mar 11, 2019 - Zoltán Kovács

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been saying so for months. It’s so important, in fact, says the PM, that it’s shaking up the traditional left-right alignment of politics and creating a contest between those who support immigration and those who oppose it.

News in Brief

Hungary fulfils its Schengen commitments, protecting not only its own, but also the EU’s external borders, says spokesman

Mar 05, 2019

The Hungarian government’s position has remained unchanged for three years: help should be provided at the point where it is needed rather than bringing trouble over to Europe, István Hollik said

Blog

You have the right to know: some in Brussels think your national borders are an unfortunate obstacle to immigration

Feb 28, 2019 - Zoltán Kovács

Have you noticed how the bureaucrats in Brussels talk about “border management” instead of saying “border protection” or “border defense”? It’s not a coincidence. It betrays a fundamental difference in how we approach migration. For those in the pro-migration lobby, immigration is a positive outcome and national borders are the obstacles.

News in Brief

International Spokesman: Fighting illegal migration is not possible without border fence

Feb 15, 2019

Kovács said the fence Hungary built along the border with Serbia when the country was overwhelmed by illegal immigrants in 2015, is very effective

News in Brief

Hungary's position on border protection is being adopted by other EU states

Feb 08, 2019

Hungary’s interior minister has said that the country’s position that border protection is crucial for Europe’s security is now being endorsed by more and more countries within the bloc

News in Brief

Hungary and Slovenia: Europe must be able to defend its external borders

Nov 21, 2018

Péter Szijjártó held talks with Miro Cerar where they were both in agreement that Europe should give priority to protecting its external borders and developing the related capabilities

News in Brief

Government reinforces controls along Hungary’s southern border after 70,000 migrants head north

Oct 26, 2018

Citing interior ministry information, Gergely Gulyás said the thousands of migrants were some 70 kilometers south of the country and Hungary has offered Croatia help in handling the crisis

News in Brief

Government Spokesperson says EU border plans are "unacceptable"

Oct 23, 2018

Zoltán Kovács says centralizing border control would infringe on the sovereignty of member states

Prime Minister Blog

PM Orbán on EU summit: We defended our ground

Oct 20, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

Even though “we have successfully defended Hungary’s right to protect its own borders,” Prime Minister Orbán said, “the debate remained the same.” However, they’ve put a new idea on the table, and it’s “the best proposal” to date.

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: Hungary’s right to border protection was “successfully defended” at EU summit

Oct 19, 2018

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz suggested that the EU should adopt the concept of “mandatory solidarity”, each Member State should contribute to the management of migration, but not necessarily by taking refugees in

News in Brief

Border protection is both a “national and European duty”, says minister

Oct 18, 2018

Gergely Gulyás said border protection was an “issue of sovereignty”, and Hungary “insists on performing that task”. He argued that Frontex could not ensure the same degree of protection, even with a larger headcount

News in Brief

Hungary’s security services to present reports on their experiences of border protection

Oct 03, 2018

The Sargentini Report punishes Hungarians for having repeatedly declared, most recently in the spring election, that they reject migration and the mandatory resettlement quotas, says official

News in Brief

Security cannot be delegated to those who would be happy to tear down the border fence, says official

Sep 24, 2018

Csaba Dömötör said Hungary is able to protect its borders, but many politicians in Brussels do not want to do the same and support migration

Blog Prime Minister

No surrender: Hungarian borders must be protected by Hungarians

Sep 21, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

PM Orbán has been saying it for years. Europe must make border security the top priority, before any discussion of quotas or anything of the kind. Now, as we heard in Salzburg this week, some are finally coming around to the stark reality that protecting Europe’s border is serious business. That’s generally a step in the right direction, but some of the proposals out there take things off track.

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: Hungary insists on the right to carry out its own border protection

Sep 21, 2018

During a meeting of prime ministers belonging to the European People’s Party (EPP), PM Orbán stressed that “there is no need for Frontex to defend the Hungarian borders for us”

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: Hungary insists on its right to protect its borders

Sep 20, 2018

The prime minister said there was no need to take away border protection competencies from Hungary, arguing that “we’re capable of protecting our borders. We insist on the right to keep it our job"

News in Brief

Brussels is attacking Hungary with another report that contains distortions and inaccuracies

Sep 19, 2018

The Ministry of Interior said the Hungarian police force is successfully protecting the Schengen border of the European Union while fully complying with both EU and Hungarian law

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: EU is seeking to strip Hungary of its right to protect its borders

Sep 14, 2018

The prime minister pointed out that Europe would hold elections next May and called the current members of the European Parliament has-beens

Blog

PM Orbán: “They want to take away from us the keys to the gate”

Sep 14, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

“Angela Merkel has said that the plan is that part of the border control should be handed over from frontier states to Brussels,” said Prime Minister Orbán this morning, “which means that “they want to take away from us the keys to the gate.”

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: By protecting its borders, Hungary takes a gigantic burden off of Germany’s shoulders

Jul 05, 2018

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel today during an official visit to Berlin.

News in Brief

Chief security advisor says protecting the population is of primary importance

Jul 03, 2018

György Bakondi stressed the importance of protecting Hungary via a telephone statement following the UN’s High-Level Conference on Counter-Terrorism in New York

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán says people across the EU are looking to their governments to prevent migrants entering the region

Jun 29, 2018

People want their governments to conduct procedures for migrants already in Europe and “take them home,” the prime minister said. European democracy “is in trouble” because its leaders have been unwilling to do so, he added

News in Brief Prime Minister

President Trump stresses importance of border defense in call with PM Orbán

Jun 18, 2018

The US president encouraged PM Orbán to strongly defend Hungary’s southern border. The prime minister reassured the president that Hungary is committed to continuing its current migration policy and will defend its borders

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán thanks Slovak Prime Minister for his country’s help in border protection and support of Hungary

Jun 13, 2018

PM Orbán said Slovak-Hungarian cooperation and the Visegrád Group partnership contribute to the success of a common Europe

News in Brief

FM: Hungary extends appreciation to Italy for commitment to restoring the security of Europe

Jun 13, 2018

Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, spoke with Matteo Salvini on Monday evening and underlined the importance of protecting Europe and its people

News in Brief

German Chancellor says that by protecting the EU’s external border, Hungary is also protecting Germany

Jun 11, 2018

“By protecting the Hungarian-Serbian external EU border, Hungary is protecting Germany, too,” Chancellor Merkel said. "In order to preserve free movement within the community, a real European border police must be established"

News in Brief

Chief Security Advisor: Hungary is ready to help protect the borders of countries along the new migration route

Jun 08, 2018

György Bakondi said Hungary will send police units if necessary and be on hand if needed

News in Brief

Hungary’s police force to take part in protecting the border with Serbia and Macedonia for the fifth time

May 03, 2018

According to the national police headquarters, Hungarian officers will travel to Serbia to work along the Bulgarian border and thirty will be sent to Macedonia to work along the Greek border

News in Brief

Chief Security Advisor: Hungary’s effective border control system would become unlawful under EU proposal

Apr 27, 2018

Hungary’s chief security advisor has said the introduction of a common EU asylum procedure would make the existing Hungarian procedure impossible

News in Brief

Hungary's government spokesperson says "Röszke attack” in 2015 is linked to the “Soros network”

Mar 27, 2018

Zoltán Kovács said the government is paying particular attention to the various pieces of information that are coming to light with almost daily regularity in relation to the operations of the “Soros network”

Blog Prime Minister

PM Orbán: A mandatory migrant quota is out of the question, external borders must be defended

Mar 22, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

They’re not giving in, those who see quotas and pro-immigration policies as Europe’s answer to the migration crisis. We’ll see a “decisive showdown” in June, said Prime Minister Orbán this week, when the EU’s heads of state and government will gather in Brussels again. Immigration will feature as one of the overriding issues on the agenda.

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: Europe is full, and as a result the continent’s external borders must be defended

Mar 21, 2018

“We should not focus on the distribution of migrants, and a mandatory migrant quota is out of the question, but we should instead focus on ensuring that illegal migrants cannot gain entry to Hungary and the territory of the European Union,” the prime minister said

News in Brief

The Government of Hungary has proposed a new bill to tackle illegal immigration

Jan 17, 2018

On the frontier of Europe, Hungary is particularly exposed to the effects of illegal immigration, and the government is proposing measures to stop it

News in Brief

Hungary to help protect Macedonia's border until October 2018

Dec 19, 2017

Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said that from the point of view of security it is crucial that the western Balkans migration route continues to remain closed

News in Brief

Minister of defense makes a two-day tour of the Hungarian borders

Dec 18, 2017

The minister thanked the soldiers for their service and presented military personnel stationed at the border with Christmas presents

News in Brief

PM Orbán: V4 to provide financial support to Italy to protect borders

Dec 15, 2017

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has announced that the Visegrád Four have decided to provide significant financial support and offer assistance to help Italy protect its maritime borders, therefore defending both Europe and Hungary

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: We should protect what we have already achieved in Europe rather than focusing on new plans

Oct 25, 2017

The prime minister said there are "all sorts of plans”, but meanwhile “we are not looking where we are going”

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: Hungarian people want Europe’s external borders to be closed, and the internal borders to remain open

Oct 19, 2017

PM Orbán said that he has faith in the Schengen system recovering in the near future “from its current comatose state”, as the greatest attraction of the EU is freedom of movement across its territory

News in Brief

V4 interior ministers agree that external borders must be protected to secure Schengen area

Oct 06, 2017

During a meeting, held under Hungary’s V4 presidency, the interior ministers decided to offer help in protecting the external Schengen borders to all countries concerned

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: Hungary will help Romania protect its eastern border

Oct 04, 2017

“Sooner or later an effective border seal will be needed on [Romania’s] eastern borders, otherwise Romania will be overwhelmed by migrants and we Hungarians would then have to build a fence on the Romanian border. We certainly want to avoid that, and if it comes to it we will gladly help Romania protect its eastern borders,” PM Orbán said

Blog

Hungary’s southern border fence has been protecting the frontier of Europe for two years

Oct 02, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

For two years now, Hungary’s border fence, border patrol forces and stricter laws have dramatically reduced the number of illegal crossings on Europe’s southern border. Our commitment to strong borders is just one of the ways that Hungary fulfills its legal obligations and stands in solidarity with Europe in times of crisis.

News in Brief

Hungary does not agree with ECJ ruling over migrant quotas, but recognizes it says government spokesperson

Sep 19, 2017

Zoltán Kovács said that from several perspectives Hungary's "legal and political battle against the EU’s refugee quotas are only just beginning"

News in Brief

Hungary's border protection measures are still necessary says government spokesperson

Sep 18, 2017

“There is continuous migration pressure on our borders; without the measures that are still in place today, the situation would be much worse," said Government Spokesperson Zoltán Kovács

News in Brief

"Viktor Orbán is winning the migration debate" writes leading publication

Sep 15, 2017

“Nobody will admit it in this town, but yes, Orbán’s narrative is prevailing," a senior EU offical told Politico

News in Brief

Hungary's struggles with Brussels over migrant crisis have only just begun, says state secretary

Sep 14, 2017

“Brussels may launch a lawsuit against Hungary in the days to come because of [its opposition to] the mandatory migrant quotas, the struggle over immigration has but just begun," Pál Völner said

News in Brief

EC rejects request for border fence contribution but government still insists on it

Sep 04, 2017

The cost so far has been an enormous unforeseeable expense for the Hungarian budget amounting to 270 billion HUF. The government still hopes that Brussels will make a contribution to this cost

News in Brief

Hungary will keep its Southern border standing to protect EU from terrorism

Jul 19, 2017

Hungary will only give refugee status to those who have indeed fled countries where their lives were in danger. Hungary’s asylum regulations conform to the Geneva Conventions

News in Brief

Hungary and Baden-Württemberg are in full agreement over the protection of EU's borders

Jul 13, 2017

Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, held political talks with the German states' leaders on Wednesday in Stuttgart

News in Brief

Hungary opposes EU plans to set up new asylum agency because it would simplify and accelerate migration

Jul 10, 2017

Hungary’s southern border seal has fulfilled expectations and the pressure of migration has eased but this situation can change at any moment. Analysts in Germany have estimated that around 6.6 million people are ready to set off for Europe

News in Brief

Austria follows Hungary's lead and blocks migrants at border

Jul 05, 2017

Austrian soldiers have been sent to the Italian border to carry out checks on migrants

News in Brief

Survey shows Europeans want their border protected more effectively

Jun 30, 2017

The Századvég Foundation surveyed 1,000 people in each of Europe’s 28 member states between April 10 and May 31, 2017

Blog

Blame Hungary

Jun 23, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

It was one of the most heinous crimes from the dark days of the migrant crisis in 2015. The trial began this week in Hungary of eleven men charged in the deaths of 71 migrants, victims of human traffickers, found in an abandoned refrigerator truck in August of that year.

News in Brief

European left-wing groups rallying to the cause of a convicted terrorist

Jun 16, 2017

European left-wing groups have decided to side with Ahmed H. They are attempting to place him on a pedestal, and want to present him as the idealized refugee

News in Brief

Hungarian authorities detain 123 migrants over past four days

Jun 01, 2017

Hungarian police revealed that the offenders did not have passports or any form of identification, and were subsequently escorted back to the Serbian border

News in Brief

Hungarian Police: 'We do not hold asylum-seekers captive'

May 23, 2017

"We do not hold asylum-seekers captive. They are free to leave towards Serbia anytime," said Zsolt Gulyás, deputy police captain in Csongrád Country, in an article published in the Danish newspaper Politiken.

News in Brief

Hungary welcomes German and Italian calls for EC to establish border protection mission in Libya

May 18, 2017

“The Hungarian government fully agrees with the proposal, especially in view of the fact that 42,500 illegal immigrants have arrived in Italy as of mid-April, and many more are expected to set out for the continent with the arrival of good weather," Hungary's foreign minister said

News in Brief

Hungary says illegal immigration must be tackled at point of origin

May 17, 2017

The EU Commissioner for migration has said that it is the legal and moral obligation of the member states of the European Union to participate in the EU mechanism to resettle 160,000 asylum-seekers

News in Brief

Government spokesperson says so-called NGOs are the problem, not charities or volunteer organizations

Apr 25, 2017

“The problem isn’t with the some 60 thousand civic organizations operating in Hungary, but with so-called NGOs, which are trying to prove that they are true civic organizations," Zoltán Kovács said

News in Brief

Hungary never closed its borders to migrants says minister

Mar 29, 2017

"Hungary actually never closed its borders to refugees or migrants. Anyone, even in the last two years, who wanted to cross the border legally [could use] border crossing stations. You provide your papers, your passport, and if you don’t have one, you basically play by the rules of the authorities and by the legislation of the EU," Hungary's deputy minster of Foreign Affairs and Trade said

Blog

The Trojan horse in Europe’s borderless Schengen zone

Mar 20, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

The migration crisis will continue, said Prime Minister Orbán at a recent swearing-in ceremony for 462 new Hungarian border rangers, “until people everywhere realize that [it is] the Trojan horse of terrorism.”

Speeches and Remarks

Viktor Orbáns Interview in der Sendung „180 Minuten” [„180 perc”] von Radio Kossuth

Mar 20, 2017

Viktor Orbáns Interview in der Sendung „180 Minuten” [„180 perc”] von Radio Kossuth

Speeches and Remarks

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Kossuth Radio’s “180 Minutes” programme

Mar 20, 2017

Budapest, 17 March 2017

News in Brief

PM Orbán: Europe is the best place in the World

Mar 13, 2017

"European culture, civilization and economy have achieved unprecedented results in the period since the Second World War, and there is every chance of Europe being able to offer its citizens the best and happiest way of life in the world," PM Orbán said

Issues

Hungary has an obligation to defend the Schengen borders

Mar 09, 2017

Protecting the external border of the EU remains essential to maintaining security and the freedom of movement in the Schengen Area

News in Brief

Hungary's new border controls protect the European Union

Feb 17, 2017

György Bakondi, the prime minister’s chief security advisor, said that the new border controls, if passed by parliament, would be applied “at times of emergency caused by mass migration”

News in Brief

Hungarian defense forces announce completion of border protection base

Feb 09, 2017

The Kelebia border protection base has been completed on the Hungary-Serbian border and the installation of bases at Bácsalmás, Madaras and Hercegszántó are expected to be finished by the spring

News in Brief

PM Orbán: Migration pressure on the Hungarian borders will not end, border protection continues to remain a priority

Jan 13, 2017

PM Orbán said that today Hungary is one of the European Union’s safest countries, thanks to the efforts of the defense and police forces

News in Brief

Hungary spends 500 million euros on border protection

Dec 09, 2016

The government’s position concerning the management of the illegal immigration situation continues to remain that the external borders must be protected under any circumstances

Blog

Frontex prepares for everything but border protection

Nov 21, 2016 - Zoltán Kovács

“These people aren’t involved in border protection,” said Prime Minister Orbán of the newly established Frontex unit proposed to the management board. Frontex, of course, is the EU agency that was set up to manage cooperation among national border guards and help secure the EU’s external border. The problem with the proposed, new unit is that it is for anything but guarding European borders and coastlines. Plus, it is ridiculously weak in numbers.

News in Brief

Hungary funds its own border fences, NOT the EU

Nov 16, 2016

The Hungarian government did not construct a fence on the border out of EU monies “and especially not with Italian money”; we financed the fence from the budget, or “to make it more understandable for Matteo Renzi”, the people of Hungary are spending their own money on protecting the EU border, Hungary's foreign minister said

News in Brief

Constitutional amendment is a 'national issue' and not about politics or economics

Oct 28, 2016

The prime minister said that “the Seventh Amendment to the Fundamental Law of Hungary is an issue of national interest and cannot be linked to any party political debate or economic issue”

News in Brief

Italy threatens to veto EU budget over central Europe's immigration stance

Oct 26, 2016

Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said that the Italian prime minister “completely misunderstands the situation"

News in Brief

Hungary builds new border fence

Oct 26, 2016

The new fence is on the southern border with Serbia and is aimed at keeping migrants and refugees from freely entering Hungary

News in Brief

Is the migrant crisis affecting wildlife migration patterns?

Oct 17, 2016

The Hungarian government has said that the animals can adapt well to man-made habitat changes. The statement also noted that deer populations had been growing for decades in Hungary and across Europe, causing crop damage and road accidents