Jagland earlier contacted Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and asked for his consent to a CoE review of the Hungarian legal regulations introduced on September 15. Hungary will remain open to consultations with international organisations, Trócsányi said.

The minister said some quarter of a million migrants had passed through Hungary this year and 170,000 applied for asylum. Hungary considers it a priority to act in line with Schengen rules, which is also an expectation by European governments.

The Dublin Agreement on migrant procedures must also be fully implemented, with respect for human rights and regulations on refugees, he added.

The minister highlighted the importance of international and civil organisations in resolving the current crisis.

“I am convinced that European solidarity is the only way to find a solution for everybody,” he said.

In response to a question the minister said the fence on the Hungarian-Serbian border has yielded positive results and sealing the border has proved to be an effective method for solving the problems while relations with Belgrade have remained excellent.

“Nobody likes a fence. This is obvious. But peace and order should be maintained somehow,” he added.

Jagland said recent events on the Hungarian-Serbian border have raised concern and this is why he contacted the Hungarian prime minister.

The secretary-general expressed concern over what happens in the transit zones where the European Convention on Human Rights is still valid, just as outside the zones.

Jagland said he was concerned about the measures applied against illegal border crossers. Every state has the right to protect its borders and nobody has the right to cross the border illegally but the Convention on Human Rights guarantees the border violators’ right to fair procedures.

The secretary-general also gave voice to concerns about the coercive measures applied or applicable by the police and the armed forces.

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