Hungary's border protection measures have seen the number of migrants entering Hungary illegally drop dramatically, according to Government Spokesperson Zoltán Kovács.
During a press conference to mark the second anniversary of the closure of the Hungarian-Serbian green border, Kovács said that the measures introduced in the interests of protecting the border continue to be necessary to keep the numbers down.
He also highlighted that “In 2015, Hungary did not expect assistance or a financial contribution; it performed its duty in its own interests and to protect Europe”.
“There is continuous migration pressure on our borders; without the measures that are still in place today, the situation would be much worse," Kovács added.
György Bakondi, Chief Security Advisor to the Prime Minister, also said that Hungary had succeeded in establishing a solid border security system, which serves the internal security of both Hungary and the European Union.
“The system of technical barriers is the key to the success of border security, and without it, it would be impossible to stop the mass arrival of immigrants," Bakondi said.
“People who attack the fence are taking a stand in favour of allowing large numbers of people to enter the country without any form of control. However, the technical barrier is not sufficient in itself; the continuous presence of a significant number of police and military personnel is also required," he added.
The number of successful attempts to illegally cross the border fell from 391,000 in 2015 to 18,236 in 2016 and only 1,184 in 2017, which is mainly due to the success of Hungary's border protection measures, Bakondi added.