According to an article in politico.eu, by respected Hungarian expert Kim Lane Scheppele of Princeton University: “The state of emergency scheduled for September 15 will eventually feature draconian military and police powers. Under a law working its way through parliament, a state of migration emergency will permit soldiers to be sent to guard the borders, fully armed. They will be authorized to use dogs, rubber bullets, tear gas and nets to apprehend migrants entering illegally. Deadly force can be used against the migrants if soldiers believe that their own lives are endangered. This law passed the Committee on Police and Defense on September 9 and is scheduled to pass in the parliament on September 22, taking effect immediately.”
In calling for a state of emergency, Rogán said: “The past few weeks have clearly shown that there is an extraordinary migration threat in Hungary and obviously in the European Union as well. … steps need to be taken to help defend the countryʼs borders.”
Based on the stricter border crossing laws, which take effect today, the Hungarian government has the legal right to declare a state of emergency if the number of asylum-seekers exceeds 500 per day on average over the course of one month, or 750 per day across two consecutive weeks, or 800 per day over one week, according to online daily Origo.hu. A crisis situation can also be declared if the number of people in transit zones exceeds 1,000 per day on average over the course of one month, or 1,500 per day over two consecutive weeks, or 2,000 per day over one week, the daily added.
Although news reports suggest that refugee camps were cleared out yesterday and that there are very few refugees in the countryʼs transit zones, following their transport to the Austrian border en masse, there has been a record number of unauthorized border crossings in the past three days, with more than 9,000 asylum seekers entering the country yesterday alone.
In the event of a state of emergency, the online daily says that the government can have access to properties owned by the Hungarian government and local councils, and to properties, both mobile and fixed, of businesses owned in majority by the Hungarian government or local councils, for purpose deemed necessary to handle the crisis.
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