Slovakia Deploys Troops on Hungarian Border to Deter Illegal Migrants
On Monday, 30 October, the new Slovak government took measures to curb illegal migration by deploying hundreds of police and military personnel on the border with Hungary, as reported by the Slovak Spectator.
The reason for this action is the increasing number of migrants and refugees arriving in Bratislava, mainly from Serbia through Hungary, with the aim of moving to wealthier Western European countries.
Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok informed journalists that hundreds of police officers will be stationed on the border, and he added that soldiers would also be involved in patrolling.
"We will deploy significant forces to protect our green border with Hungary," he stated, referring to border areas that are not official crossing points.
Prime Minister Robert Fico, who assumed leadership of the coalition government last week, personally visited one of the border crossings on Monday evening to assess the measures. He revealed that this year, Slovakia has detected over 46,000 illegal migrants on its borders.
"We are very concerned about a significant deterioration in the migration situation. We have promised the public to protect Slovakia from illegal migration," added Fico.
Earlier this month, Slovakia's neighbors, including Austria, the Czech Republic, and Poland, began patrolling their borders to control migration. These measures have been extended until November 2.
The previous Slovak government initiated border checks with Hungary in response to actions taken by neighboring countries. However, former Prime Minister Ludovit Odor also saw the need for a European solution for migration on external borders.
Recently, Slovenia extended police checks on its borders with Croatia and Hungary for an additional 20 days, until November 19, citing concerns about terrorism and organized crime.
It is worth noting that illegal migration poses a significant challenge to the European Union, affecting many member states. Mediterranean countries, in particular, have called for more EU assistance in tackling migration. Ministers responsible for migration and internal affairs in Greece, Italy, Spain, Cyprus, and Malta welcomed the EU's previous decision to address migration issues but called for more resources to be allocated to these efforts.
It is important to recall that the European Union has officially extended temporary protection for refugees from Ukraine from March 4, 2024, to March 4, 2025.