Migration crisis in Hungary explained

Europe is under the strike of a new wave of migration, the biggest since the second world war. The common understanding of the issue is mainly humanitarian, that focuses on Europe’s responsibility in offering a shelter to those in need. As much as this is important, there are more practical aspects of the crisis, such as the security dilemma caused by the unfiltered masses of people crossing Europe’s border, the higher risk of terrorism or the inevitable clash of two, majorly differing cultures. Hungary has chosen a seemingly controversial, but –as it was proven with time– more rational and down to earth stand. As the before marginal, small Eastern-European country decided to stick with its understanding of a judeo-christian Europe, it instantly found itself under fire from the liberal west. Just to be proven right. Here is the timeline of what happened in Hungary, the first real border country of the EU, where migrants arrive first.

1. Setting the Scene

Why Hungary? Migrants can reach Europe on several routes. The most popular since this summer has been the Western Balkans route, that leads through Turkey, Greece and the Balkans to arrive in Hungary. This is claimed to be the cheapest, and most recommended by smugglers, probably because it's mostly inland, and can flow freely through the Western Balkan countries. Even though Greece would be the first official Schengen Zone member country –despite its obligations– it doesn't stop and register them. And since the Balkans are not part of the passport-free area, Hungary becomes the first actual buffer zone.

Source: Frontex operational data

After the outbreak of the Syrian conflict hundreds of refugees were arrested day by day while crossing the borders of Hungary illegally. But this year twenty times more asylum seekers arrived than in 2014. While last year a total number of 43,000 migrants crossed the borders (99% illegally) just in the first two weeks of January more than 6,000 people arrived in the country. Considering that the Charlie Hebdo terror attack happened just a few days before, Hungarian common opinion was quite anti-immigration; according to a poll in January, two-thirds of the society believed that the government’s immigration policy is too moderate and the parliament should tighten these laws. This same poll reported that people didn’t feel safe from terror attacks committed by Muslim radicals. Up until today, the government enjoys an 80% support of its citizens.

2. Who are they and where are they going?

The number of refugees entering Hungary is increasing dramatically. 50,000 migrants entered the country since June, but additional ten thousands come every week. Most of them stay only for about three days. The goal is to get to Western Europe without being registered, so most of these people don’t apply for a refugee status here. The problem with being registered is that according to the Dublin Agreement, if later their application gets accepted, they can be sent back to the country they applied in. France, Switzerland and Germany for example is already sending back more than a hundred thousand migrants to their country of arrival. Moreover, Hungary wouldn’t even be able to accept most of the applications, as only a few of them are coming from actual danger zones. The government was still trying to make steps to meet the expectations set by the Dublin Agreement, being a Schengen bordering country.

Migrants putting their hope into Angela Merkel

3. The fence

‘I stand here and I have no other option’, said the Prime Minister of Hungary in an interview with German newspaper, Bild. The Hungarian Parliament decided to build a fence of steel and razor wire in July, after a series of unsuccessful negotiations with the Serbian government about cooperating in coordinating the critical areas. After the government decided about the fence, a poll showed around 82 percent of Hungarians being in favour of tighter immigration controls. The policy of Viktor Orbán got several criticism from abroad and from left-wing governments of Western Europe, calling it racist, brutal and comparing it to the Berlin Wall. Hungary however is referring to its responsibilities as a border country of the Schengen zone, and its duty to stop the arriving masses. ‘Hungary guarantees that European people can move freely and their borders are protected’ said the Prime Minister. Moreover Orbán is calling out to protect the christian values of Europe when he says; 'We must not forget that those who are coming in have been brought up under a different religion and represent a profoundly different culture. The majority are not Christians but Muslims. That is an important question because Europe and European culture have Christian roots. Is it not already, and in itself, alarming that Europe's Christian culture is barely able to uphold Europe's own Christian values? The people want us to control the situation and protect our borders.'

Hungary building the fence on the Serbian border

4. Croatian share of the crisis

Ever since the beginning of the large scale migration, Hungary was criticized by many foreign governments for how it treated the migrant crisis. Critics condemned for example using the army to guard the border and keep the situation under control or using fences and gates to keep the migrants in the designated areas. Croatia was one of the loudests, but they were quick to reassess their judgment after the tidal wave of migrants have turned from the closed border of Röszke to the Croatian border. The country prepared with no facilities – no toilets, clean water stations or tents. After one day, Croatia have sent its army to maintain the safety and have declared that the country is "full" after receiving 6000 migrants. The government sent the Croatian President to Budapest, to fix the relationship between the two countries. Croatia decided to opt out from living up to the Dublin regulation, and transported every migrant to the Hungarian border without registering them. Until 12th October, 158 000 illegal migrants arrived in Croatia.

5. Horrible, illegal conditions

A terrible accident shocked Europe on 27 August 2015; authorities found the dispersing body of 71 migrants on the Austrian highway A4 near to Parndorf, in an abandoned refrigerator van. The 59 men, eight women and four children were crushed together and transported from the Serbian-Hungarian border to Austria by smugglers. The van was closed hermetically, so no fresh air could have got in and that’s what caused the tragedy. The migrants were supposedly from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. The experts identified more than the half of the victims, but the advanced decomposition of the corpses is making the process more difficult. The vehicle has a temporary Hungarian registration number, and was found by the maintenance men of the Austrian highway because of the stink coming from the van. Until now, six suspects from Bulgaria and Afghanistan were taken into custody. The tragedy deeply shocked both the leaders of Europe and Hungary, and though the proposed solutions were different, everyone agreed on a zero tolerance against smugglers. Since this tragedy, Hungarian authorities are controlling every vehicle coming from Serbia more strictly.

6. Chaos at Keleti

The chaos started to surface at the Keleti Railway Station on the early days of February, when migrants from Kosovo and Syria tried to get on the trains to Germany. The police have apprehended 304 illegal immigrants in three arrests. On a different occasion the police arrested 99 illegal immigrants from Afghanistan and Pakistan, while only 2 of the 99 were from the war torn Syria. 150 people have tried to break into a train going to Munich, but they were arrested. The government have set up additional transit stations for the migrants at other locations, but the migrants have not moved, since they were keen on moving on to west and the trains going to Western-Europe departed from the Keleti Station. The migrants have lived on the station and in public parks, despite the offered location. The trash left there by the migrants have caused a diarrhea breakout, which was treated by the local hospitals, thus stopping the potential epidemic.

Migrants trying to board trains at Keleti station

On August 30 the migrants have started to gather and demonstrate against the police as hundreds of newcomers joined them in the protest. Chanting "Germany, Germany!" they have not been successful in entering the station. The day the station closed over 2000 people gathered to board trains to Germany climbing and breaking into the last trains. After the crowd was removed from the station, the migrants have broken out from the transit zones and camps and started to go west by foot. After they left the suburbs however, the government have sent buses to transit them to the western border.

7. The "battle" of Röszke

Hungary as an answer to the emerging migrant crisis, decided to introduce new measures to secure its southern border. Röszke is the main border town of the Serbian-Hungarian border. On September 15 at midnight, authorities closed down this border. Also new laws were introduced to prosecute those who cross the border illegally. Hundreds of people were caught on the first day, and many of them were sent back to Serbia. Legal crossing obviously remained available, where migrants naturally had to register to be taken to refugee camps near the Austrian border. The gathered hundreds at the Serbian side decided to protest at the closed gate of the border. Police and counter terrorism units were ordered to make sure that the migrants would not break through illegally. A small riot took place and the crowd warned the police that they would take action if the door is not reopened. In the end they kept their promise and not long after 3pm the angry crowd forced the door open.

The Hungarian police used water cannons and tear gas to dissipate the crowd. The Serbian police did not choose to intervene. A small group of migrants threw water bottles, shoes and stones at the police. Many fought not only with their hands, but put their children to danger in order to be captured by the media. The crowd set tires on fire and for a few minutes smoke filled the air, but after a few hours the protest stopped. Fourteen policemen were injured. Hungary’s government spokesman, Zoltán Kovács, stated, the Hungarian police would protect the border and nobody would be allowed into the country without inspection. He also denied that the closure of the border would violate anyone’s rights by stating that since Serbia is a safe country, migrants should ask for asylum there or enter Hungary in legal ways.

Leaders of Europe and the media were fast to condemn the actions of the Hungarian police despite its right to protect its borders. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban reacted to the events in a radio interview. He said, Hungary’s border was attacked and the police’s answer was as humane as it could be. He also stated that Hungary would continue to protect its borders.

8. Heavy critics proven wrong

Migrants march chanting "Angela Merkel" as they move towards Germany in the hope of a better future in one of the wealthiest countries of Europe. Angela Merkel invited every migrant to move to Germany, appealing to the humanity of the German people and citing economic benefits arising from the abundance of cheap labor. Merkel took a tough stance on PM Viktor Orbán and his migration policy. Orbán repeatedly stated that his policy is based on the responsibilities of the Dublin regulations as Hungary is legally required to check and register every non-EU citizens and it will obey the Schengen rules to protect the passport free area. In turn Angela Merkel argues the migrant crisis is a test to Europe's core ideals and requires the countries to accept the refugees and provide shelter and haven for them. "If Europe fails on the question of refugees, this close connection with universal civil rights ... it will be destroyed and it won't be the Europe we want," says the Chancellor while arguing for deliberately abandoning the common European regulations in favor of the ideals.

Public support for these ideals have quickly changed as the migrants arrived to German cities. Welcoming posters and waving crowds quickly disappeared, as even German authorities faced problems in providing shelter and basic needs for the tens of thousands of migrants arriving daily. In September Germany decided to stricken its border control, stopping migrants for 48 hours to assess whether an asylum applicant is verifiable to enter the country or not. This measure is very similar to what Hungary introduced, and which was heavily criticized by Germany before. What is more, the idea of a transit zone has been proposed even in Germany, and though the goverment is divided on the subject, the Chancellor seems to support it.
Rainer Wendt, president of one of the two police unions in Germany, went even a step further, suggesting a fence like that in Hungary should be built on Germany's border with Austria as well as on the Austria-Slovenia border. This is inevitable when it comes to creating a transit zone.
Manfred Weber (CSU) said in an interview on Deutsche Welle, the Schengen Agreement allowed member states to protect the external borders. "Nobody wants fences, but we have so far no better idea [...]". With this statement, he virtually justified the existence of the fence on Hungary's border with Serbia. Impressive.

9. Solutions offered

The European Commission held a meeting, discussing the possible solutions of the continuously growing migrant issue. Viktor Orbán, was one of the main speakers. As a reply to the harsh criticism of his policies, he put forward a 6 point action plan to solve the crisis.

Hungarian PM, Viktor Orbán

1. Convince Greece to accept common European border control Péter Szíjjártó the Foreign Minister of Hungary stated, that it is impossible to maintain effective border control for the individual nation states alone. An EU mandated and financed border control unit would be better fitter for the task, as it would be able to control and oversee all the outside border of the EU and protect the Schengen zone. This central and common border control would be an important step towards integration. Until this unit is established Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated "Hungary will defend the external borders of EU until the EU will exempt the country from this task."

2. Separate migrants and refugees before they reach the Schengen border The EU should spend 1 billion Euros on the refugee camps located in Turkey, Syria and Lebanon and help to maintain these camps with financial and humanitarian aid. Brussels should also create application points, where the refugees can apply for asylum in the European Union.

3. There should be a commonly agreed list of safe countries, all EU members are safe
This proposal aims to help sorting out the background situation of the migrants and refugees. The second part implies, that the migrants within Greece are already in a safe country and they have no right to cherry pick from the EU members.

4. Raise 3 billion Euros for crisis management by cutting EU spending by 1% and increase the payments into the common budget by 1% This special fund would be the budget for the crisis management efforts for the next 3 years.

5. Establish increased cooperation with all the countries involved in the management of the crisis Turkey is the main partner in solving the Syrian crisis. This point means increased financial, military and diplomatic cooperation with the Nato member Turkey, already an important trading and strategic partner to the EU. Besides Turkey, the Vladimir Putin lead Russian Federation is an integral part of the solution as they have great relations with the Bashar government in Syria and they have economic interests in the country. The Russians have already intervened in the conflict, but it remains to be seen how will it affect the careful balance between the Bashar regime, the western backed rebels and the Islamic State.

6. Set up a global organisation to help distribute the refugees into safe countries around the globe In the last point, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán goes against the mandatory EU quotas, by introducing the notion of a voluntary global quota. Through this, the effects of the crisis and the refugees would be shared between more partners. Several non-EU countries have accepted refugees from Venezuela and Brasilia, with 20 and 7 thousand refugees, to Iceland and Canada, who agreed to accept tens of thousands of refugees. It would mean more involvement from the US as the home of the free and brave have only proposed to allow 10 thousand refugees to enter.

10. It's actually happening

Europe is torn between wanting to help the refugees and trying to protect itself from the migrants. Despite the Hungarian government trying to fulfill –at least in its rhetorics– the Dublin agreement, the flow of people is continuous and migrants are being transported towards Western Europe without any registration or legal order. Thousands of migrants and refugees are already in the Schengen zone, free to go wherever they please to go. It will be shown at what cost.