Hungary can expect to receive up to 900,000 refugees from Ukraine, the prime minister’s chief security advisor said on Wednesday evening, citing projections. György Bakondi told public news channel M1 that more than 432,000 refugees had arrived in Hungary by noon on Wednesday.
Whereas in the first phase of the military operations people were fleeing Ukraine before the war reached them, they are now fleeing directly from the war to safe neighbouring countries, he said. This new situation requires different kinds of efforts from the Hungarian authorities, civil groups and local councils, Bakondi said. This means there will be an even greater need for the various organisations to coordinate their efforts, he added. Hungary must continue supporting Transcarpathia Hungarians because their region has seen a big influx of people from eastern Ukraine who have lost everything, he said.
Bakondi said Prime Minister Viktor Orbán paid regular visits to the Hungary-Ukraine border to coordinate and manage the refugee aid efforts.
On another subject, Bakondi said Hungary was facing increased migration pressure on its southern border, noting that the authorities have apprehended 31,200 illegal migrants so far this year and have launched criminal proceedings against 280 people smugglers.
hungarymatters.hu
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