Montserrat Feixas Vihe, UNHCR regional representative for central Europe, said the amendments, if passed, would be “devastating” for thousands of people seeking asylum in Hungary.

She asked the Hungarian government and parliament to ensure that asylum laws remain compatible with international and regional protection standards.

The agency said it is concerned about the speeding up of asylum proceedings, sending back asylumseekers to unsafe third countries and the extended detention of asylumseekers, specifically women and children.

The statement touched on the 4-metre high fence the government is planning to build on the border with Serbia, saying that it would make asylum-seekers more vulnerable to human smugglers and traffickers.

On Monday, Interior Minister Sándor Pinter proposed amending several laws relating to migration and asylum to parliament.

The main aims of the proposed legislation are to speed up procedures for assessing the claims of asylum-seekers and to turn back economic migrants as quickly as possible.

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