Whereas more than 177,000 people submitted such applications in 2015, the corresponding number dropped to 29,432 last year and 2,226 this year.

A total of 508 people were granted asylum two years ago, 438 last year and 462 so far this year.

Bakondi said 11,500 people have tried to enter Hungary this year, while last year 19,000 people made an attempt to cross the border illegally.

At present 600 migrants are staying in Serbia at the Hungarian border and 5,500 are in the entire country. More than half of them are Afghans, and a small percentage are Iraqi and Syrian citizens, he said.

Attempts to enter Hungary illegally via Romania have risen dramatically, from 58 last year to 374 in 2017.

Meanwhile there was a drop at the Hungarian-Ukrainian border, as 21 migrants have been caught this year, compared to 131 last year.

Source: Hungary Around the Clock

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