Illegal immigration to Europe is expected to continue increasing, according to Chief Security Advisor to the Hungarian Prime Minister György Bakondi. Speaking on TV2’s Mokka programme on Wednesday, he said that current forecasts indicate a steady rise in the number of irregular migrants arriving on the continent.
Bakondi explained that the migration flow along Europe’s major routes tends to fluctuate depending on how individual nations respond to the issue. ‘There’s a certain pulsing nature to illegal immigration,’ he said, noting that stricter or more lenient national policies often influence how many migrants attempt to enter.
He cited recent developments in Italy as an example. The Italian government had proposed a novel solution to manage migration, intending to transfer rescued migrants to Albania, where their asylum requests would be processed. However, the European Court of Justice blocked the plan, ordering that the migrants be returned to Italy. As a result, Italian authorities are now responsible for deporting those residing in the country unlawfully.
‘However, the European Court of Justice blocked the plan, ordering that the migrants be returned to Italy’
Other nations have also sought new strategies. Spain has signed an agreement with Morocco to strengthen border controls, while Turkey continues its efforts to reduce migration along the Balkan route. Since 1 January, Romania and Bulgaria have joined the Schengen area, and with Hungarian and Austrian police support, they are working to secure the Turkish border—reinforcing the EU’s external frontier.
Highlighting the growing pressure on Hungary’s southern border, Bakondi revealed a sharp rise in detected border violations. While only 920 illegal entrants were apprehended on the Serbian–Hungarian border during the same period last year, that number has surged to 5,200 this year.
Bakondi attributed the increase to the return of human smuggling gangs. He said that joint Hungarian–Serbian operations had previously driven these groups out of the border area. However, Serbian police forces have since been reassigned, allowing smugglers to re-establish themselves and once again increase illegal crossings.
He concluded by urging continued vigilance and reinforced international cooperation to manage migration and protect Europe’s borders.
Related articles:
