Körmend, April 28, 2016, Thursday (Hungarian News Agency) – “The first group of migrants is expected to arrive in the temporary reception facility with a capacity of 300 set up on the premises of the local police vocational school in Körmend on 2 May.” – announced Anikó Sipos, Head of Regional Directorate of the Office of Immigration and Nationality at a press conference held in the town hall of Körmend on Thursday. She said – “the capacities of the temporary open reception facility are being continuously filled up in line with the increase in the number of migrants seeking asylum in Hungary and the changes in the number of asylum seekers accommodated in other reception facilities.
At the press conference, Miklós Dukai, Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Interior emphasized that the Government had no other choice than opening the temporary reception facility in Körmend due to the increasing migration pressure. He added – “despite the physical closure of the Balkans borders the number of migrants flowing into Europe has been on the increase and migrants are constantly searching for new routes”. On the basis of information he provided, more than 12.000 migrants have applied for asylum in Hungary this year, and the colleagues of the Office of Immigration and Nationality register more than 200 asylum applications on a daily basis, in addition, the number of individuals accommodated in the reception centers, community shelters, and transit zones has reached 1.777, which is twice as much as it was before. He added – “the overwhelming majority of migrants are not fleeing warzones. Most of them are coming from Pakistan, Afghanistan and North African countries. Hungary is still considered a transit country and not a destination country as migrants wish to travel on to Western European countries”. The Deputy State Secretary kept emphasizing that the Hungarian Government had done everything to prevent illegal migrants from entering the country, then installed and fortified the southern border fence, and made preparations to install a border fence on the Hungarian Romanian border, deployed more border patrol troops and improved their technical conditions. Speaking of the reception center in Körmend, Miklós Duklai could not stress more that the reception center was destined to be a temporary reception facility, which was well supported by the fact that tents had been installed and the facility had been located in a guarded police facility to cause as little trouble to the inhabitants of Körmend as possible.
Sipos Anikó stressed that only registered and medically screened asylum seekers would be placed in the temporary reception facility in Körmend.
János Tiborcz, Head of Police Department of Vas County, contended that the number of Vas County police officers had been increased and reinforced by riot police officers and civil guards, and if need arose, by the armed forces to patrol in Körmend and its surroundings up to the Austrian border. “The County Police Department maintains permanent contact with and consults the provincial Police Department and leadership of Burgenland.” – he added. “All necessary preparations have been taken to ensure that the inhabitants of Körmend continue to enjoy the same public safety they have been accustomed to for decades.” – said János Tiborcz.
István Bebes, the mayor (Fidesz Party) of Körmend, said that they were really hoping that the tent camp would be set up and never put into use. It is important to note though, that “the premises where this temporary facility has been installed is a location belonging to the Ministry of Interior, where migration-related activities can easily be undertaken” – said István Bebes. He also reminded that their public safety-related concerns have been responded by the reinforcement of the police force present in Körmend, and if necessary, the Hungarian Armed Forces could also be deployed. He also emphasized the importance of the reinforcement of local civil guards and the necessity for enhancing the CCTV system. He added that he was going to encourage the members of the City Council to financially support the reinforcement of the local civil guards.
Photo: György Varga/MTI
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