Controls at the border with Hungary are to be in force until December 23 this year. The government has allocated over EUR 3.18 million to protect the southern border. Random checks are to be carried out depending on the development of the security situation, the Ministry of Internal Affairs said.
According to the ministry, controls at the southern border have had the desired effect – the number of migrants detained for illegally crossing the border has significantly decreased. “In the context of the conflict in Israel, which may initiate further waves of migration, it is necessary to continue controlling the internal border with Hungary, because it is an important measure also in the fight against terrorism,” Szutaj Esztok emphasized after the government meeting.
He noted that despite the decline in the number of arrests, the government still wants to deter people smugglers from using the routes leading through Slovak territory. “At the same time, we fulfill our status as a reliable European partner that can not only ensure the safety of its citizens, but also prevent dangerous elements from entering Europe. We must remember that in this case we are fighting organized criminal groups,” said the Minister of Internal Affairs.
Slovakia temporarily reintroduced controls on the border with Hungary on October 5 this year. It did so after Poland, Austria and the Czech Republic restored controls on their borders with Slovakia. Szutaj Esztok announced that he would soon discuss migration and border controls with partners from Hungary. In his opinion, the issue of migration requires consultations within the Visegrad Group. A meeting of the Group with the participation of representatives of Austria and Germany is to be held in the near future in Prague, Czech Republic.
Source: pap Niezalezna.pl
-ace
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