Since 2015, the number of those coming to Hungary from Belgium has increased by 47%, from Italy by 45%, from the Netherlands by 43%, from Spain by 40%, from Switzerland 28%, from Austria 25%, from Britain by 22% and from Germany and France 20%, respectively, Bence Rétvári said.

Their motivation was to find security and safe conditions in public domains, he said.

Rétvári addressed the ceremony for the next contingent of Hungarian police officers dispatched to serve in Serbia in partnership with their local and Austrian colleagues, noting that “their task is becoming more difficult and more important as they are protecting the EU, and Hungary, against the increasing pressure posed by migration”.

The state secretary noted that he had visited the Hungarian contingent in Serbia last year and had met officers serving on their 8th mission there.

“Last year, close to 400 Hungarian officers served on the missions,” Rétvári said.

Meanwhile, Opposition Party Calls for Ban On 'Unlawful Import' Of Foreign Guest Workers in Hungary

The opposition Democratic Coalition on Tuesday called for an immediate ban of the “unlawful import” of guest workers from outside the European Union. DK’s Ferenc Varga, who sits in parliament as an independent, told a press conference that the law on guest workers which entered force this year was “a scam”.

In a recent interview, Sándor Czomba, the economy ministry state secretary in charge of employment policy, “admitted that 120,000 guest workers were imported from outside the EU”, the DK politician said, noting that the law stipulates that the number of guest workers must not exceed the number of unfilled jobs at the end of the previous year.

Central Statistical Office (KSH) figures show that in the third quarter of last year almost 80,000 jobs went unfilled, Varga said, insisting this meant that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán “and his people have unlawfully roped in 40,000 guest workers”.

He vowed to submit a written question to the government regarding how many guest workers would be imported to Hungary this year and why Hungarians were not given the jobs available.

Ruling Fidesz in response said that the DK party led by Ferenc Gyurcsány and the “dollar left” tried again “to mislead” Hungarians with their statements.

Besides allowing illegal migrants and terrorism into Hungary, “they are now stoking up fear in Hungarians by talking about the import of illegal guest workers in the country,” Fidesz said in a statement.

It cited recent legislation which has tightened the protection of the employment of Hungarians, by setting a quota on the number of third country guest workers who can be employed in Hungary.

“Their number in 2023 was 62,000 and this was never exceeded, as is required by law,” the party said, calling on DK “to stop misleading the public”.

Nearly 10,000 Ukrainian Citizens Enter Hungary on Monday

Fully 4,626 Ukrainian citizens entered Hungary at the Ukraine-Hungary border on Monday, while 5,006 came to the country via Romania, according to the national police headquarters (ORFK).

Police issued temporary residence permits valid for 30 days to 60 people, ORFK said on Tuesday.