Spokesperson: Fence could cost more than planned
Following yesterday’s cabinet meeting, government spokesperson Zoltán Kovács told state-owned all news channel M1 that the Hungarian government is planning to increase the amount allocated for the construction of the fence along the Serbian border, the governmentʼs official website kormany.hu reported today.
The Hungarian government is building a wire fence along the entire length of the Hungarian-Serbian border to keep “illegal immigrants” out of the country. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán recently said that the fence, which is often referred to as a “temporary measure” by the government, will be erected by August 31. The government reportedly allocated HUF 6.6 bln for the fenceʼs construction.
According to Kovács, the amount dedicated to handling the problem is expected to reach approximately HUF 29 bln. The spokesperson also noted that due to the second wave of migrants, who arrived in the second half of last year, the Hungarian Police have already spent HUF 31.4 bln on reinforcing border patrols and on technical equipment.
Kovács, once again, emphasized that the European Union “has only provided a fraction of the funds to Hungary”, in reference to the “huge pressure on Hungary, in financial terms as well” that the influx of migrants poses on the country.
Kovács said that there are over 3,500 people at reception centers while over 5,600 “illegal migrants” were provided with medical treatment up until the beginning of June.
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