EUROPE-MIGRANTS/HUNGARY-FOREIGN MINISTER Hungary welcomes German border controls; registers record migrant numbers

Record ID: 139891

  • Title: EUROPE-MIGRANTS/HUNGARY-FOREIGN MINISTER Hungary welcomes German border controls; registers record migrant numbers
  • Date: 14th September 2015
  • Summary: BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (SEPTEMBER 14, 2015 (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF HEADQUARTERS OF NATIONAL POLICE PEOPLE WALKING PAST SIGN OF NATIONAL POLICE EXTERIOR OF HEADQUARTERS POLICE OFFICIALS ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE / SPOKESWOMAN, COLONEL VIKTORIA CSISZER KOVACS, TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (Hungarian) POLICE SPOKESWOMAN, COLONEL VIKTORIA CSISZER KOVACS, SAYING: "(Regarding the Roszke camp video) The commander of the riot police has ordered an internal investigation which is currently underway, therefore I cannot report on its result. Regarding the food supplies of the police forces, we refute any allegations saying that policemen serving at the Hungarian-Serbian border do not provide proper food." JOURNALIST TAKING NOTES HEAD OF BORDER POLICE, COLONEL LASZLO BALAZS, SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Hungarian) HEAD OF BORDER POLICE, COLONEL LASZLO BALAZS, SAYING: "Since January 1 until today, the police took action in 191,702 cases of illegal border crossings. Yesterday, the police caught 5,809 persons. This morning until 08.00 local time the police took action against 3,280 persons." JOURNALIST TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (Hungarian) DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION OFFICE, ATTILA KISS, SAYING: "We have opened new temporary reception centres in Kormend and Szentgotthard. The police have transported the registered asylum seekers to these institutions. These institutions are open places, from here the asylum seekers can go away anytime." BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (RECENT, 2015 (REUTERS) HUNGARIAN FLAG IN PARLIAMENT FACADE PEOPLE WALKING BY PARLIAMENT POLICEMEN AND SOLDIERS BY PARLIAMENT
  • Embargoed: 29th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Hungary
  • Country: Hungary
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAEM2YEVK828KS4JIPJR23CU3G1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Hungary registered a record number of migrants on Sunday (September 13), police said on Monday (September 14), as the country moves to close its border to stem an influx.
    Police said they were investigating the incident in which police were filmed throwing food packets at migrants at the Roszke reception centre on Friday (September 11).
    But spokeswoman Viktoria Kovacs denied allegations that food supplies for migrants were adequate.
    "Regarding the food supplies of the police forces, we refute any allegations saying that policemen serving at the Hungarian-Serbian border do not provide proper food," she told journalists in Budapest.
    So far, more than 191,700 migrants have entered the country since the start of the year, head of border police, Laszlo Balazs said.
    "Yesterday, the police caught 5,809 persons. This morning until 0800 local time the police took action against 3,280 persons," he said, but did not give details about what action was taken.
    Deputy director of the Immigration Office Attila Kiss said that due to the increased numbers of migrants new temporary centres were opened last week.
    "We have opened new temporary reception centres in Kormend and Szentgotthard. The police have transported the registered asylum seekers to these institutions. These institutions are open places, from here the asylum seekers can go away anytime."
    Thousands of migrants are crossing the border to Hungary, an eastern outpost of Europe's passport-free Schengen zone, every day, and many are travelling on to the continent's more prosperous west and north.
    Many migrants now arriving in Hungary want to avoid being registered for fear of being returned there later as they travel on to richer countries in western and northern Europe.
    Germany re-imposed border controls on Sunday acknowledging it could scarcely cope with thousands of asylum seekers arriving every day.
    The Hungarian government welcomed the German move.
    "Hungary understands Germany's decision and Hungary extends solidarity to Germany. We think that set of values that evolved after World War Two in Europe and in Germany's is very important. We welcome that Germany wants to defend this set of values so we understand the German decision and we have solidarity with Germany," Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Sunday.
    Berlin announced that the temporary measure would be taken first on the southern frontier with Austria, where migrant arrivals have soared since Chancellor Angela Merkel effectively opened German borders to refugees a week ago.
    Germany, Europe's largest and richest economy, has become a magnet for migrants making journeys by sea and land, often via Turkey and the Greek islands, and then onwards through the Balkans, Hungary and Austria.
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