Bakondi recalled that ten years ago some 400,000 undocumented illegal migrants, directed by smugglers, entered Hungary and the European Union. Following a national consultation that confirmed overwhelming public support, the government decided to strengthen protection along the southern border. The construction of the border fence and related defense measures were preceded by detailed planning and analysis, he stressed.
Thanks to the well-organized Hungarian border protection system, over the past decade authorities prevented more than one million illegal migrants from entering Hungary and potentially threatening the security of Western European countries. While this is a major achievement, Bakondi cautioned that the pressure remains high along the Balkan route, especially from Greece. Hungarian forces are also assisting in border protection efforts further afield, such as at the Bulgarian-Turkish border and in Serbia.
The chief advisor highlighted that Hungary’s border protection measures have since earned international recognition. Over the past decade, many European leaders have acknowledged that Hungary was right. He noted that barriers were built at the Bulgarian-Turkish border and the Polish-Belarusian frontier—with EU support in the latter case. “It seems the EU believes there are good fences and bad fences,” Bakondi remarked, pointing out that Hungary has never received EU support for its efforts and instead has been fined for refusing to admit migrants.
Bakondi stressed that Western experiences demonstrate the dangers of illegal migration, citing cases of violence against women, civil unrest, terrorist attacks, and disruption of public order. “This is why we must use every possible means to defend ourselves against the organized arrival of undocumented migrants who pose a potential threat to Europe’s security,” he said.
