Hungary is suspending the admission of illegal migrants into the transit zone on the country’s southern border for the foreseeable future given “a link between the new coronavirus and migration”.
Hungary’s Chief Security Advisor György Bakondi said most illegal migrants came from or through Iran, which is a focal point of Covid-19.
Bakondi said some 10,000 migrants are waiting to sail to the Greek islands and 13,000 more migrants are trying to violently cross the Greek-Turkish-Bulgarian border.
The security advisor said the government conveys two powerful messages. “To the Hungarian people: We will protect our borders and our internal security. And one [message] to the migrants: No matter what their “organizers” say, there is no way to Europe [through Hungary].”
Regarding the coronavirus, Bakondi said most of the migrants are coming from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran, which is one of the focal points of the virus with several cases of the infection and deaths caused by it. "For the safety of the 321 refugees in the transit zone, we are suspending the reception of additional refugees,” he said.