Geneva, Monday 03 August 2015
1. Brief description of the emergency and impact
Since the beginning of 2015 a mass influx of asylum seekers could be noticed in Hungary. The number of asylum seekers has constantly risen from a few thousand in 2014 to approximately 83,000 until July 2015. Migrants are arriving from countries of armed conflict, deep poverty, or social unrest, like Northern and Central Africa, Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Almost all of them are coming through the Balkan countries of Greece, Macedonia and Serbia. Approximately 1,500 persons per day cross the border. Government authorities are scaling up their capacities, but are unable to handle all the needs. A total of 200,000 migrants are expected to arrive in Hungary by the end of this year.
Migrants who cross the Hungarian-Serbian border are first taken to the centre in Röszke or Kiskunhalas by the police, where they are registered before being transferred to other migration and asylum facilities in Hungary. During these few hours they are given food, water and can take some rest. About 10% are under the age of 14, one third is under 18, and there are also many pregnant women among those registered. Reception centres are operating to stretched capacities of 300-400 %. Migrants on their way to the centres, or to Western European countries such as Austria, Germany, Sweden and others are staying on railway stations, parks, underpasses, trying to find some rest after long journeys.
The EU Commissioner for Migration discussed the crisis with Hungarian officials in Budapest and said: "Hungary is under pressure. We were talking so far about Italy and Greece. Now we have added Hungary.”