A contingent of Hungarian police officers have made their way to Bulgaria today to help their European colleagues counter illegal immigration at the Bulgarian-Serbian border, it has been reported.
The ten-person contingent was welcomed in Budapest by Deputy Operational Chief of Police János Balogh, who pointed out that Hungarian police have already travelled to several southern European countries to help with efforts to combat migration pressure.
This is the first time that Hungarian police are travelling to Bulgaria. The Major General stressed the efforts of police not only increases the security of the given country and indirectly helps to reduce migration pressure on Western Europe, but the experiences accumulated during such tours of duty also help reinforce Hungary’s security system.
The contingent will be on a one-month tour of duty along the Bulgarian-Serbian border, and in addition to border security their tasks also include maintaining public order and preventing crime.
The departure of the Bulgarian contingent also saw the return of a contingent of Hungarian police who have been on a tour of duty in Greece.
The group of twenty police officers had been assisting their Greek colleagues for about a month since early May.
During the course of this cooperation, Hungarian police were assigned to the European Union’s border security agency Frontex and performed law enforcement and registration duties on the island of Chios, near the Turkish shoreline.
The Hungarians supported joint efforts with hand-held heat cameras, night vision goggles and other border policing equipment.
Hungarian police operating within the territory of Greece performed their duties under the supervision and guidance of the Greek authorities