Mr. Bakondi said that Hungary’s stable internal security situation enables it to wish Hungarian families a peaceful and happy festive season. On behalf of the Government he thanked law enforcement officers for helping to preserve Hungary’s sovereignty and security.

He added that recently, however, Europe’s security situation has deteriorated, mainly due to dangerous individuals arriving with the migration wave, radicalised groups of Muslim youths and combat-trained ISIS fighters returning to the continent.

Mr. Bakondi also said that it is regrettable that EU leaders do not share the Government’s position, which is that problems should be handled in the areas from which migrants set off.

He said that since the 2015 migration wave – which was followed by 27 major terrorist attacks resulting in 330 deaths and 1,300 people injured – the notion of a peaceful Christmas has come under threat.

Consequently, Mr. Bakondi observed, people’s subjective sense of safety has diminished, with illegal migration not only manifesting itself in terrorist attacks, but also in increased crime, in the appearance of anti-Semitism, and in parallel societies within countries.

Mr. Bakondi also noted that in order to increase security at festive events European authorities have introduced a number of special measures, such as blocking vehicle access to Christmas markets with concrete barriers.

Their actions, he said, have sometimes proved unsuccessful, however: for example, last year’s truck attack at a Christmas market in Berlin occurred after numerous failed attempts by German authorities to expel the perpetrator, who was in the country illegally.

Mr. Bakondi also recalled that in November both the German and French police arrested individuals preparing terrorist attacks, and the Islamic State threatened the Vatican.

Source: kormany.hu

Photo: Gergely Botár / kormany.hu